There’s no secret to happiness, but unexpectedly encountering a giant Jean Jullien sculpture or installation comes pretty close. The French graphic artist tells ICON he will continue to explore his work in new dimensions combining volume, scale and his signature use of line and colour, which stir a spectrum of emotions in audiences all over the world
Photography by Manou Milon
Words by Alexia Petsinis
A few simple brushstrokes, a lot of happy faces: the Jean Jullien effect. The graphic artist observes life’s nuances and complexities and reinterprets them with a kind of optimistic simplicity that reminds us to lighten up a little (or a lot). His diverse and eclectic body of work spans painting and illustration, photography and moving image, installations, books, clothing and beyond. Whether encountering Jullien’s work in a Paris department store, a book store in Berlin, a national art gallery in Melbourne or a boutique in Korea, it’s like a dopamine boost.
Jullien and his team (comprising Jean Jullien Studio) realise one project after another with remarkable momentum, producing an assortment of works and collaborations with world-renowned galleries, companies, brands and publications every year. These include Galeries Lafayette, Case Studyo, The New York Times, AMI Paris, Ginza Six and Phaidon, to name a few. This seemingly effortless creative continuum is partly due to the fact that the artist’s playful, hand- drawn style seamlessly translates from one medium to another, never losing a spirited authenticity that inspires us to smile, think and to talk about our existence on this planet.
Jullien’s ‘Paper People’, for example, have become one of his design hallmarks, created with a few purposeful brushstrokes and energising colours. They have been translated from two- dimensional drawings to sculptural three-dimensional chairs, giant installations and more, evoking a spectrum of emotions in viewers from all walks of life, regardless of what form they’re experienced in.
Photography courtesy of Jean Jullien featuring his Paper People at Le Bon Marché
For Jullien, it’s as simple as ‘the hand creating the work’. ‘I’m very reaction based. I will experience or see something that makes me tick (often negatively), then think of a positive or humorous take on it. But equally, when I look at certain objects, I like playing around with them and seeing what alternative use there might be for them,’ he says.
‘I think the consistency comes from the fact that there’s drawing as the red thread, as the skeleton. The skin I apply to it varies, but the skeleton remains the same. Whether it’s a chair, a T-shirt or a canvas, there’s always an element of drawing.’ The Jean Jullien ‘universe’ – his creative explorations, projects and collaborations – continues to evolve in scope and scale. The artist reflects on particularly enjoying working on large-scale shows and installations, and receives great satisfaction from creating immersive environments that offer the opportunity to physically engage with his work.
He was commissioned to create the immersive RIFIFI kids underwater world installation at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne as part of its NGV Triennial exhibition in 2023/24, expressing a colourful and uplifting message about caring for our oceans. Two of his towering blue Paper People sculptures and other installation elements took over Paris’s Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche department store as part of its Mise en Page event earlier this year, delighting visitors who might not have been expecting to find two giant jovial blue friends just about bursting through the glass ceiling, and who seemed to miraculously appear there overnight.
Photography courtesy of Jean Jullien featuring the artist’s Bye Bye Blue exhibition at Alice Gallery
‘I’ve really enjoyed my work coming out of the two-dimensional plane and coming to life in volume. In sculpture, for example, managing to keep the same line and colours and shapes and being bluffed by the impression that the drawing popped into our world is something that I really enjoy,’ the artist says. Thick, purposeful brush strokes and lively colours are Jullien’s stylistic signature; a visual language of his own that is equally as striking on sweaters and bags (Jullien launched the Korean-based brand NouNou with Jae Huh in 2016) as it is on a limited- edition series of milk carton designs for Paris Baguette.
Grinning whale vases, beer glasses printed with friendly faces like drinking buddies, a card game illustrated with almost every possible cat personality type… there is a sense of comfort and familiarity about seeing Jullien’s characters and colours out in the world. It’s like running into those dear friends who you can always count on to lift your mood. And through this emotional connection Jullien creates with his audience, he draws our attention to important themes and topics at the forefront of society today including environmental awareness, cultural and social diversity and the importance of human connection.
Jullien is modest about the influence of his work in inspiring a mix of generations and demographics to think outside the box in finding the humour and creativity around us in everyday life. However, over a million followers on social media and tens of thousands of visitors and fans flocking to every new exhibition and installation he creates clearly indicates the impact of his creative vision on global visual culture today. The smiles on the faces of people – young and old – who discover his sculptures and installations for the first time speak a thousand words. ‘I’m just glad when people give me their time and audience. I’m even happier if it triggers a positive reaction in them. And, hopefully, a conversation,’ Jullien says.
The story originally appeared in ICON 215, Spring/Summer 2024. Get a curated collection of design and architecture news in your inbox by signing up to our ICON Weekly newsletter
