Fellowship 2020

Editor: This is *Fellowship*, a 2020 acrylic painting by James Jean. It’s a contemporary piece with figures rendered in a style I'd almost call pop-surrealism, and the colours are incredibly vibrant and a little overwhelming. What do you see in this piece, beyond the surface level of cute figures and pastel shades? Curator: I see a deeply considered commentary on the construction of innocence. Jean's layering of fantasy elements over recognisable forms prompts us to question how childhood itself is presented. Do you think the unsettling juxtapositions of colour and form might suggest an undercurrent of unease beneath the veneer of childhood innocence? Editor: That's a really interesting point. I hadn't considered the idea of unease, I was initially put off by the super-sweet style. Is it also playing on historical representations of children? Curator: Precisely. The artist draws on a visual language historically used to sentimentalise youth, then subverts it. Look at the way some of the faces are obscured. What do you read in the use of graffiti-like elements within the traditionally "safe" themes of childhood? Editor: It feels like a rebellion against those themes. Is Jean maybe showing us that childhood isn't always safe or innocent, and the 'fellowship' can be fraught? Curator: I think that's a powerful interpretation. By incorporating elements of graffiti art, he might be highlighting marginalized voices and experiences, challenging the notion of a universal and idyllic childhood. Does knowing that make you view the bunnies differently? Editor: It does. They almost feel symbolic of a lost purity. Thanks for helping me unpack this; I definitely see so much more than the cute factor now. Curator: And I appreciate you grounding this in our shared contemporary moment! Understanding our own biases allows for a richer, more nuanced exploration of the artwork.