www.jpenastudio.com

Julian Peña is a Japanese-Dominican-American painter and graphic artist. Peña was born in Okinawa, Japan, and immigrated to the United States with his mother. He received his Bachelor of Art at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Peña is best known for his signature style influenced by Japanese anime aesthetics and Dominican vibrant color palette. His playful yet menacing cast of characters are inspired by video game storytelling, coined “avatars” in his acrylic paintings and embellished with Japanese decorative techniques using innovative technologies and modern materials. Prevalent narratives include themes of identity. 

Peña has shown in numerous exhibitions, was voted “Best Artist of South Sound Magazine” in 2012/2013 and participated in Collaborate/Create’s residency. Until recently, Peña owned and operated a gallery that supported underrepresented artists through his nonprofit.

“When tragedy strikes or injustice occurs I feel compelled to express myself through action and art. To clarify, I respond critically by making art like a journal where I paint to record my emotional reactions to events.”

“I believe in the “Beholder’s Share,” where half the work lies with the artist while the other half comes full circle with the audience. This idea, popularized by art historians Ernst Gombrich and Ernst Kris, stuck with me from art school. My inspirations are personal and embedded into each artwork I create. Whether or not the viewers are aware of my motivations, they will infer their own perception of the piece based on their experiences. I enjoy the idea of collaborating with viewers under the understanding that both parties complete the work at large.”

“A huge portion of my artistic influences came from my experiences as a youth and where I was born: Okinawa, Japan. There, I experienced the Japanese bathhouse (onsen), where I was able to run around naked! I was included in the bourgeoning video game culture that flourished with the release of NES and Super Nintendo. I found much of my inspiration from this specific period and the experiences I had coping with the confusion of my mixed heritage. The immediate assimilation into American society shook me after I immigrated with my mother. I became fixated on video games and anime series while growing up with evolving and innovative technologies at the time. I was hooked on Sega Genesis as a way to escape the realities of our rigorous and nomadic military family life.”

“My cultural and historical identity is a huge part of my studio practice, even in the experience of my immigration to the U.S. One day my mother told me she was taking me to the onsen (Japanese bathhouse), my favorite place to go to at the time. After I contentedly got ready and left with her, I realized we weren’t going to the onsen. Instead, I found myself at the international airport, booked on a flight to the U.S. to move in with my stepfather in a new family household. Divorce proceedings and a custody battle between my biological parents ensued, while I had to assimilate into American society forcibly and swiftly by learning Western ideas and taking English as a Second Language.”

“The process of assimilation taught me how “being American” has racism rooted in its foundations. It has confused me at times regarding my own identity, being of mixed ethnicities. I wondered if I should be “more Japanese” or “more Dominican.” What does it mean to be an American in a society that doesn't include my ethnicities on surveys or forms? It was this period of learning and unlearning that made me who I am as an artist today. It challenged me and compelled me to learn about who I am as a person. I needed to explore how the world treats me as a gay, light-skinned cis male of mixed ethnicities in contrast to others. I made an effort to locate my biological father and brother in the Bronx, which was ultimately successful. It was through that exploration that I discovered my passion for visual art, the anime aesthetic, and the use of vibrant color combinations seen in Dominican art.”