NANZUKA ART INSTITUTE to present JUJU’s Castle, a solo exhibition by French artist Jean Jullien. This exhibition marks the artist’s first solo show in China and features an ambitious collection of over 80 new paintings created during his stay in Tokyo, alongside sculptures, objects, models and a large-scale installation in order to create an immersive experience.
As the title JUJU’s Castle suggests, the exhibition invites visitors on a narrative journey based on Jullien’s memories and experiences, retold fictitiously in order to make it relatable to a larger audience. Like an immersive tale. The true protagonists of this show are the visitors themselves. Each gallery space becomes a dungeon in a grand castle, where a party of four—warrior, elf, mage, and hero—encounters various monsters along the way. Through this immersive narrative, the exhibition offers a completely new type of museum experience.
Jean Jullien was born in 1983 in Nantes, France. His playfully incisive perspective was shaped by an early fascination with pop culture—particularly French and Japanese manga, anime, video games, and films. The exhibition JUJU’s Castle draws inspiration from these imaginary worlds of childhood, as well as from unforgettable moments shared with his uncle.
“When I was a child, my uncle Patrick fed my imagination with tales of his Roleplaying Games, the many comic books he was reading and the movies he was watching. His old bedroom had a glass cabinet filled with hand painted miniature characters used for Tabletop RPGs such as Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. These fascinated me to the highest level. Every time I visited my grandparents, my brother and I would rush to the cabinet to marvel at the precious characters. And any time my uncle would come back, he would tell us about the endless adventures he lived as a monster slashing ranger. He would narrate the sci-fi movies he’d watch and share his comic book collection.”
For Jullien, a boy deeply drawn to imaginary worlds, diving into the realm of fantasy was almost inevitable—featuring dark wizards, captive allies, and battles with dragons. Out of this fascination came JUJU’s Castle, a place he has lovingly preserved as a vivid mental refuge.
“With constant news of war, global warming, pandemic and dystopic technological advancements, it seems like our daily lives have become more and more anxiogenic. But there is resistance in the form of escapism and people have resorted to it in many ways. From video games to role playing games, cosplays, niche literatures and online communities; people have found means to deviate from the harsh reality. After years of using my painting and drawings to observe and comment on the real world, I’ve moved to Tokyo to paint a parallel version of it. An everyday filled with printed avatars, animated screens, legions of figures, and costumed characters. Here it seems to me that fantasy has found myriad ways to invade reality, enhancing it, making it more dreamlike. This enchanted everyday seems like the perfect resistance to modern life.”
Jean Jullien has consistently strived to transform the world’s overwhelming negativity into messages of joy and imagination. The reason his work resonates across generations and cultures may lie in this sincere and heartfelt approach. JUJU’s Castle is not just his sanctuary—it is also a space of comfort and wonder for all. We warmly invite you to enjoy this playful and immersive world he has created.
“Years later, as the world seems more and more dire, I’ve decided to visit Juju’s castle once more and to open its doors to the public.”
— Jean Jullien
Jean Jullien, JUJU’S CASTLE, July 12th – October 26th 2025 NANZUKA ART INSTITUTE, Shanghai
About the artist
Born in 1983 in France and currently based in Paris, Jean Jullien is a French artist known for his wide-ranging practice that spans illustration, painting, sculpture, installation, photography, video, books, clothing, and design objects. He graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2008 and received his MA from the Royal College of Art in 2010. Jullien has collaborated with numerous global media outlets and brands, including The New York Times, National Geographic, RCA Records, Le Centre Pompidou, Hermès, Petit Bateau, and VOGUE.
Alongside his commercial work, he has held solo exhibitions in cities around the world, such as San Francisco, London, Berlin, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, and Brussels. His work is celebrated for its unique blend of humor, warmth, and sharp insight.
His visual language is shaped not only by academic art education, but also by a deep connection to diverse cultural influences. These include Japanese manga such as Saint Seiya, Dragon Ball, and City Hunter, as well as French bandes dessinées and the works of artists like Raymond Savignac, Tomi Ungerer, and Jean-Jacques Sempé. His playful, cross-disciplinary creativity moves freely between art, design, and pop culture.
In 2011, Jullien co-founded the animation duo Jullien Brothers with his brother Nicolas. In 2016, he launched the lifestyle brand NOUNOU with Jae Huh in Seoul, producing clothing, objects, rugs, and dolls with a distinctively artistic spirit.
In 2022, he published his first comprehensive monograph with Phaidon Press. His sculptural series Paper People and Paper Society have been exhibited at institutions including DDP (Seoul), MIMA (Brussels), GINZA SIX (Tokyo), and Le Bon Marché (Paris), receiving international acclaim.
In May 2025, Jullien presented a special installation for the TARA Océan Foundation at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. He is currently based temporarily based in Tokyo to work on upcoming projects. @jean_jullien
