James Jean Dishes on ComplexCon, Music, and Shaking Up the Gallery Artist Mold

James Jean, one of the world's most influential contemporary visual artists, discusses his craft and exhibiting at ComplexCon.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

James Jean is not your typical gallery artist. His work is informed by his affinity for comic books and animation, source material that the fine art world often overlooks and/or dismisses. Never afraid to embrace his roots in illustration, Jean unabashedly injects “crass” pop culture into his work. His eclectic style has won him fans across the world, and he is highly regarded in the comic book community (earning seven Eisner Awards), the commercial art world (recently partnering with Beats By Dre), and the fine art world (being cited as an influence by famed artist Takashi Murakami).

On Nov. 5-6, Jean is unveiling a must-see interactive installation at ComplexCon, which he invites convention-goers and art enthusiasts to check out, tear apart with their bare hands, and keep the pieces for themselves.

For a chance to see Jean’s work first-hand, as well as that of other artists and many more influential creatives, get your tickets to the inaugural ComplexCon here.

james-jean-body-image-3

Can you tell me a little about the role that comic books have played in your life?
Comic books were my introduction to visual culture. Growing up in New Jersey, I didn’t have any reference point in terms of art, and comics showed me what was possible. I didn’t know there was any other type of outlet for the drawing that I was doing at the time. When I started reading comics, it opened up an entire world to me.

You’ve done a lot of work in illustration, fashion, and advertising. What are the differences in your creative approach for each medium?
I think the challenge is always to try to find an honest and true approach to each project—to find something genuine. These days, I don't do as much commercial work. I've transitioned to doing more fine art stuff, but I do some special projects here and there. Last year, I did headphones with Beats. I did and an Apple iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil launch. Besides that, I create my personal work and do personal projects like publishing books.

james-jean-body-image-4

Can you talk a bit about the role that music plays in your life and art?
I grew up playing the piano and the trumpet, and I was pretty obsessed with jazz musicians. That's actually what I wanted to be before I decided to do art, but I realized I wasn't good enough to pursue music professionally.

I've seen this video of you playing the trumpet. You're pretty good.
[Laughs.] Thanks. I was obsessed with playing music for a while. I find that a lot of artists are also musicians. There are some people who can do both, but that's pretty rare. But these days, I'm almost completely consumed by making images. Music is definitely still here in the primitive parts of my brain because that's what I grew up doing. I was writing songs and doing a lot of improvisation, and I think that related to art because you're creating something out of nothing. Both mediums require that same kind of invention.

Who are some of your favorite musical artists and visual artists?
During my formative years, I was really into Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, and Charles Mingus. In terms of visual artists, there are way too many to mention, but I have to say Takashi Murakami. I've actually been working with him this past year. I did a show at his gallery. He booked me in this big show called "Superflat." He said that my show at his gallery last year was the impetus for putting together this large group show, which gathered artists from the fringes of the art world and put them in a more serious museum context. My career doesn't really fit into the traditional gallery artist mold that the museum people tend to categorize artists in, because I defy those categories and work outside of the system of the galleries. That’s what sparked the idea for the show. It’s called "Superflat," and it conflates all of these different levels of culture, from high to low, and it puts it all into one level.

Do you know a lot of the artists who are going to be at ComplexCon?
I'm very familiar with all of their work. I've met DabsMyla, and I've met Patrick Martinez before.

james-jean-body-image-2

Aside from the art, what are you excited about seeing at ComplexCon?
I'm excited to see the concert the first night. I got a ticket, thankfully. I'm excited to see how it all comes together. I know a lot of people who are exhibiting. The biggest unknown is the type of crowd that's going to show up and how they'll interact with the artwork. The piece I'm making is an interactive piece. I want people to tear away pieces of this wall that I'm putting up. We're also filming a time-lapse of it and showing it evolve over the days. The attendees will be able to keep these pieces of the installation. So I'm really curious to see how that goes. I don't know if the whole thing will be torn away in one day, or if no one will pay attention to it. I have no idea. With a convention of this type, the first time is the most interesting part—how unpredictable it's going to be. It's really exciting to be a part of something that's just beginning.​

You trained as an illustrator. Does your formal education inform much of your work?
I think it does. If you talk to a lot of painters and artists who use recognizable imagery, we've all grown up reading comics and being inspired by animation. Some people are more, I guess, honest with how much they love that stuff. In the fine art word, you're expected to be sort of removed from that source material. You have to have this cool, academic distance from the "crass" pop culture in order to create serious work. They're kind of afraid of sincerity. A lot of artists that are popular among people who aren't in the art world have a real sincere affection for comics, illustration, and animation. That informs their work without any pretension. It's obvious that that type of work is able to attract a lot of people and help these artists create a fanbase. Although critically, having the work exist in a museum context is an entirely different conversation.

With ComplexCon being a convention about what's going on with contemporary pop culture, I think the artists who are showing right now are definitely tapped into that tradition of animation, comics, and illustration.

Latest in Style