As a toddler, Jean Jullien (beforehand) most popular to spend his time immersed within the pixelated worlds of video video games, embarking on adventures with motion figures, and reinventing himself in RPGs. Imagining a universe parallel to his personal provided a joyful refuge when he wanted it most.
Jullien summons this reminiscence for JUJU’s Fort, an infinite, multi-gallery exhibition that invitations viewers into the artist’s youthful fantasyland. Rendered in his signature flat, two-dimensional fashion, monsters, wizards, menacing mushroom creatures, knights, and pleasant faces stand prepared for play. From tile-esque flooring to brightly painted partitions to fiery lights lining dungeon walkways, every element captures Jullien’s exuberant and witty aesthetic. “Years later, because the world appears an increasing number of dire, I’ve determined to go to Juju’s citadel as soon as extra and to open its doorways to the general public,” he says.
Eighty small work accompany the bigger installations and sculptures and are vignettes of make-believe and amusement. There are video games of chess, hand-made masks and costumes, and even an elephant slide like these discovered on the playgrounds of Taiwan.
Though his works usually seem lighthearted, Jullien regularly responds to a few of as we speak’s most urgent points, together with capitalism’s grip on society and the all-too-relatable emotions of existential dread. JUJU’s Fort is one other response to modern life. He says:
With fixed information of conflict, world warming, pandemics, and dystopic technological developments, it looks like our every day lives have turn into an increasing number of anxiogenic. However there may be resistance within the type of escapism, and folks have resorted to it in some ways. From video video games to position taking part in video games, cosplays, area of interest literatures, and on-line communities, folks have discovered means to deviate from the tough actuality.
For those who’re in Shanghai, go to Nanzuka Artwork Institute earlier than October 26 to immerse your self in Jullien’s world. In any other case, discover extra of his work on his web site and Instagram.
