Jessica Ross: Definitely striking a chord, your figures possess serious pathos while aesthetically playing up what one critic coined as comic formalism. What is so fascinating about the human body, and how did you arrive at your signature style?
Cheyenne Julien: I’ve been making figurative work for as long as I can remember. I think it’s because I love people. My favorite parts to paint are eyes and hands; I think they hold a lot of emotion. While I was in college, people constantly asked me why I paint the figure, a process that was actually discouraged for my first couple of years in school. I ignored the criticism and continued making the work. I guess things changed because now everybody makes figurative paintings. Seeing that switch is kind of funny to me. I think this “style” developed over a long time—like since childhood. I picked up my first Manga in the first grade and was instantly obsessed. A lot of the story took place within the image, which was perfect for someone who loved narratives but hated reading. Visual storytelling is obviously something that stuck with me. I think cartoons are great because they’re outside of our reality, but not really. They’re hyperreal in a way. Also, there’s more to come. I hope to continue to transform and develop my signature style.