I had been living in London for 13 years, which is a long time! Most of my adult life, really. I felt quite homesick and in need of a change, so, after much deliberation, we finally did it and moved to Paris. London has changed a lot since I’ve first arrived and I’ve changed too. It didn't feel like the right match anymore. This is my first time living in Paris, but I had been going there for years to visit friends and for work. I grew fonder of it over time, and have been absolutely loving it since we arrived in January. I feel very inspired visually. Wherever you look, there is this incredibly old and noble architecture all around, yet the city doesn't feel dormant; it's got a really good energy. The food scene is particularly exciting, there are people coming in from everywhere and starting things. All my friends who have lived here for a long time say that it feels like a great time to be here.

My new studio is by the Canal Saint Martin. It’s on top of a concert hall/bar/gallery. There is an incredible light pretty much all day long, which adds to a very dynamic atmosphere, and there's always something interesting going on. It's nice to feel part of so much activity, and that keeps me excited. I share it with my friend Yue Wu, which makes for great constructive exchanges and good banter. Yue is an incredible artist who works in different mediums with a strong emphasis on illustration, meaning we have a lot in common!

What’s important for me in a studio is the trip, first of all: getting out of the house, seeing people on their way to work. There's something really nice about the city in the morning, it feels buzzing. But I also love having my own space and being able to see people at the same time. And I love having a space where I can be messy! With lots of wall space, it's really nice to be able to work on bigger formats and lay out all the work, finished or not. That allows me to see the series I'm working on as a whole, rather than in isolation. This way, I create a certain pace in the series, with some echoing each other, some busier than others, etc. It's like composing a little narrative as you go along. —Jean Jullien

This article was originally published in the Summer 2019 issue. 
Photo by Spencer Shea for Chandran Gallery/Juxtapoz