James Jean: From Comic Covers to Global Fine Art Practice
James Jean, who was born in Taipei in 1979 and grew up in New Jersey, is a talented artist known for his work in painting, illustration, and sculpture. He completed his B.F.A. at the School of Visual Arts in 2001 and gained recognition through his comic book covers for DC and Marvel, winning Eisner and Harvey Awards. Jean has collaborated with prominent brands like Prada and The New York Times. In 2008, he transitioned to fine art, holding significant exhibitions in places like New York and Seoul. His 2019 retrospective at the LOTTE Museum featured over 500 pieces, including the notable Gaia – Yellow Earth Center. His work is included in the Museum of Modern Art's collection, and he sold an NFT in 2021.
Key facts
- James Jean was born in Taipei in 1979 and raised in New Jersey.
- He earned a B.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 2001.
- He created comic covers for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, including Fables and The Umbrella Academy.
- He won multiple Eisner and Harvey Awards.
- Commercial clients included Prada, Atlantic Records, A24, Time Magazine, The New York Times, ESPN, Rolling Stone, and Maharam.
- He created album art for My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade.
- In 2008, he stepped away from illustration to focus on painting.
- His 2019 retrospective Eternal Journey at LOTTE Museum of Art in Seoul included over 500 works.
- Gaia – Yellow Earth Center (2019) is an illuminated stained-glass sculpture over eight feet tall created with Judson Studios.
- His work is held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, LOTTE Museum of Art in Seoul, and Colección SOLO in Madrid.
- He designed posters for mother!, The Shape of Water, Blade Runner 2049, and Everything Everywhere All At Once.
- His NFT Slingshot sold in 2021.
Entities
Artists
- James Jean
Institutions
- School of Visual Arts
- DC Comics
- Marvel Comics
- Prada
- Atlantic Records
- A24
- Time Magazine
- The New York Times
- ESPN
- Rolling Stone
- Maharam
- My Chemical Romance
- LOTTE Museum of Art
- Judson Studios
- Museum of Modern Art
- Asian Art Museum
- Colección SOLO
Locations
- Taipei
- Taiwan
- New Jersey
- United States
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Seoul
- Shanghai
- Chengdu
- Shenzhen
- Beijing
- Vancouver
- San Francisco
- Madrid
Sources
- AATONAU —