Jean Jullien

PROJECT
The dedicated NGV Kids gallery is transformed into an underwater world inspired by art, having fun at the beach and looking after the environment – a sea adventure that welcomes the youngest and oldest of visitors. This enchanting environment, RIFIFI: Jean Jullien for Kids is the creation of French artist Jean Jullien, who has made this work especially for the NGV Triennial.

Jullien expresses his ideas and ways of seeing the world through a lens of humour, playfulness and positivity. The scenography of Jullien’s installation for the Triennial is filled with his drawings, which he has produced as murals, and large cut-out shapes to create a close-up and intimate experience of colourful ocean life, inner coral reefs and treasured natural wonders. The result is a rich, scenic experience that allows visitors to feel completely immersed in secluded ocean waters. This world is complete with its own inhabitants, locals that include a cast of anthropomorphic animals, such as an octopus teaching art, a playful starfish demonstrating calming exercises, dozy green sea turtles, friendly seals, and the occasional manta ray.

When Jullien was a small boy, he would make drawings as gifts for members of his family. His installation for the 2023 NGV Triennial is his first exhibition for children; a special gift to the exhibition’s young visitors, celebrating childhood, young imaginations and making art.

ABOUT
Jean Jullien (b. 1983) is a French artist living and working in Paris. Originally from Nantes, he graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2008 and the Royal College of Art in 2010. Jullien is known for his irreverent observations of everyday life, which he captures in an idiosyncratic illustrative style characterised by black brushstrokes and bold block colour. His artistic approach has garnered Jullien a cult-like following, including more than 1.2 million dedicated followers on Instagram. His practice traverses painting, illustration, photography, video, costume, installations, books, posters and clothing.

Jullien has exhibited extensively around the world, including presentations in Paris, London, Los Angeles, New York and Berlin. Recent exhibitions include a large-scale public installation of sculptural graphic figures at Le Jardin des Plantes in Nantes, France (2020); a joint exhibition with his brother, Nicolas, at Tokyo’s Nanzuka Underground gallery (2023); and a major retrospective at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul (2022). He has created popular illustrations for The New Yorker, The New York Times and The Guardian and recently published his first self-titled monograph with global art book publisher Phaidon.

Commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Courtesy of the artist

The NGV warmly thanks Major Partner Officeworks, Lead Supporter Solomon Family Foundation, and Supporters City of Melbourne and Spencer Ko for their support