Jun Cen's pastel illustrations experiment with the everyday and the mythical

Date
24 July 2015

There’s a wonderful serenity and peace to Chinese illustrator Jun Cen’s work, as washed-out pastels waft and simple shapes sweep across the page. Currently working in New York, his illustrations have appeared in The New York Times, Nobrow, and ELLE MEN China. Jun’s diverse client list means his portfolio is a mix of everyday scenes and figures, combined with grander, more mythical imagery. It’s this ethereal work that I’m drawn to more as Jun interprets the world in his own way, giving lightness and delicacy to heavy sumo wrestlers and Grecian fighters.

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Jun Cen: Wissen Greece Issue

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Jun Cen: The Boston Globe

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Jun Cen: Wissen Greece Issue

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Jun Cen: The Boston Globe

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Jun Cen: ELLE MEN China

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Jun Cen: Wissen Greece Issue

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Jun Cen: The San Francisco Chronicle

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Jun Cen: Grantland

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Jun Cen: PLANSPONSOR

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Jun Cen: Grantland

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About the Author

Rebecca Fulleylove

Rebecca Fulleylove is a freelance writer and editor specialising in art, design and culture. She is also senior writer at Creative Review, having previously worked at Elephant, Google Arts & Culture, and It’s Nice That.

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