Menu
The New Contemporary Art Magazine

James Jean Presents New Works in Tokyo Exhibit “Zugzwang”

Hi-Fructose Vol. 15 cover artist James Jean will debut new works in a solo show at Tokyo's Hidari Zingaro gallery on November 7th. His latest body of work consists of mixed media drawings on paper and a large painting on copper plates. The show title, "ZUGZWANG", derives from a term used by chess specialists to describe a situation in which a player is forced to make a move to his disadvantage. It's also a term that Jean has used to describe his creative process, where the more he draws, the more he feels compelled to continue working.

Hi-Fructose Vol. 15 cover artist James Jean will debut new works in a solo show at Tokyo’s Hidari Zingaro gallery on November 7th. His latest body of work consists of mixed media drawings on paper and a large painting on copper plates. The show title, “ZUGZWANG”, derives from a term used by chess specialists to describe a situation in which a player is forced to make a move to his disadvantage. It’s also a term that Jean has used to describe his creative process, where the more he draws, the more he feels compelled to continue working. His drawings are filled with his signature heavy line work, portraying figures with multiple limbs twisted together and in scenes of mutilation. The centerpiece of his show is a massive painting, “Adrift”, measuring 180 x 88″ inches and spanning four canvases. It depicts a monumental scene of a girl in an elaborate kimono, caught adrift in a rush of electric blue Hokusai-style waves. A falcon, an animal of great power and strength, swoops down to offer her a bright red branch. Despite the drama of the picture, the girl’s face appears at peace and full of hope to overcome her situation. Take a look at our preview of the artworks, images courtesy of Kaikai Kiki/Hidari Zingaro, below.

Meta
Share
Facebook
Reddit
Pinterest
Email
Related Articles
On Saturday night, Heart N Soul Gallery in Culver City joined forces with some all-star New Contemporary artists to raise funds for the Aurelia Foundation. The foundation was created to provide funding and support for programs like "Step by Step", enriching the lives of disabled adults. The charity is very close to home for the gallerist, whose daughter is one of the many young adults that receive assistance from these programs. Among the artists who have contributed both original, new and previous works to the cause include AJ Fosick, Ana Bagayan, Bob Doucette, Clayton Bros, James Jean, Lola, Marion Peck, Mark Ryden, Martin Witfooth, Naoto Hattori, Nate Frizzell, Shepard Fairey, Steven Daily, and more.
Japanese artist known as Mr., a member of Takashi Murakami's Kaikai Kiki collective, earned worldwide attention by directing the music video for Pharrell Williams' "It Girl". His vibrant, Pop Art-inspired paintings of Anime characters and graffiti elements have been likened to "the display in one's dirty bedroom." On November 22nd, Seattle Museum of Art's Asian Art Museum will present his first major museum retrospective in the United States. As a full retrospective of Mr.'s career, the exhibit will include his early paintings and drawings, and film work, to a new series of paintings created for the show.
You may recognize the fantastical work of Chiho Aoshima as part of the artist's collective KaiKai Kiki, home to previously featured artists like Mr. and Aya Takano. Opening today, the Seattle Art Museum, in cooperation with Blum and Poe, tells the story of Aoshima's creative journey with "Rebirth of the World". It begins 10 years ago, when she quit her job as a member of iconic Japanese artist Takashi Murakami's design team after her own career took off. Her museum debut, the exhibition takes us from her earliest pieces to 35 new drawings on paper, large-scale prints on plexiglass, and a never before seen animation.
In a new exhibition at Lotte Museum in Seoul, more than 500 works from artist James Jean are on display, from large-scale paintings and installations to to video art and stained glass sculptures. “Eternal Journey” opened on April 4 and runs through Sept. 1. Jean is in the Hi-Fructose Collected 4 Box Set, and was the cover artist for three issues: Vol. 48, Vo. 30, and Vol. 15.

Subscribe to the Hi-Fructose Mailing List