Language and memory are recurrent themes in Nils Jean’s paintings. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London (PhD in Visual Communication), Jean approaches painting as a form of writing. His work combines visual diaries and analytical explorations of art movements such as Cubism, Fauvism and Conceptual Art. Drawing from references ranging from Surrealist experimental films by Man Ray, the poetry of Mallarmé or Raymond Roussel, to the witticisms of Cory Arcangel, he is especially interested in questions of re-appropriation and the role of artifice in art. Explore the story behind Nils Jean's work in his artist spotlight, and this video shows behind the scenes in his studio.
Working in acrylic on canvas, Jean’s strong use of colour and pattern are influenced by his time studying fashion at Studio Berçot in Paris and subsequently working as a womenswear designer, prior to moving to London to focus on the arts. French born, Nils Jean currently lives on the South coast of the United Kingdom.
Working in acrylic on canvas, Jean’s strong use of colour and pattern are influenced by his time studying fashion at Studio Berçot in Paris and subsequently working as a womenswear designer, prior to moving to London to focus on the arts. French born, Nils Jean currently lives on the South coast of the United Kingdom.
Photograph by Frederic Aranda