The ocean. Inspiration doesn’t come much bigger than that, and it’s the theme French artist Jean Jullien is celebrating with his latest work – Osaka Kaiju. The installation, now on display in the France Pavillion at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, is an enormous whale-like being, which might just be the biggest piece in the artist’s career so far. Kaiju come from Japanese folklore and continue to feature in popular culture, in Japan and around the world. They’re the monsters you see in the Godzilla films, but Osaka Kaiju isn’t bent on destruction. His mission is a peaceful one: his skin tells the story of the ocean so people realise the importance of the sea and protecting it. (c) Yuki Onishi (c) Nanzuka (c) Nanzuka “Osaka Kaiju’s body is covered in drawings, lines, scars or tattoos – however you want to see it – creating a panorama of the many myths, gods and legends that tell of our relationship with the ocean,” says Jean. “From Poseidon to European sea dragons to Inca deities, with a large emphasis on Japanese Yokai as well.” As the artwork continues along his flanks, new mythical creatures appear, which Jean has created to represent topics like over-fishing, dangerous migration by sea, climate change, plastic pollution and more. “I’ve always been fascinated by storytelling and how mythology manages to sum up big, complex notions and funnel them into characters. I wanted to use that language to address contemporary matters,” he adds. Typically, Jean Julien’s work consists of highly accessible, humorous, hand drawn, comic strip-style artwork. Here he is taking it into three dimensions, painting directly onto the surface of the sculpture. Inside Osaka Kaiju is a metal and wooden frame, which is covered in a balloon-like material. The installation was built in a warehouse in Tochigi by AD Japan and the Nanzuka art gallery for Jean. (c) Balthazar Jullien (c) Balthazar Jullien (c) Balthazar Jullien When complete, the skin was removed, and the artwork transported to the pavilion and reconstructed. To accompany the piece, the artist’s brother Nicolas Julien has composed thematic music which plays as Osaka Kaiju floats among colourful fish, illuminated in its darkened space. Evenly lighting the creature was one of the trickiest parts of the display. “The ocean is important to me for two reasons. Sentimentally, first, because of my upbringing and family roots in Britanny. I grew up in Nantes and we would go to Lesconil where the fishing industry was alive but slowly declining,” says Jean. “Secondly, it’s important to me as a human being, because we literally can’t live without it. It’s an essential part of life. Without it we all die.” (c) Nanzuka (c) Nanzuka And the big message in this enormous work? “You have to know where you come from in order to know where you’re going,” says Jean. “It's important to realise that as our knowledge of the ocean has deepened, how we tell its story has lightened. In mythology it’s often threatening, dark, mysterious and a bringer of death. Now, when we tell stories its incarnation is often very friendly and joyful. I'm hoping installations and narratives like the Osaka Kaiju can inspire younger generations to become positive actors for the future.” Osaka Kaiju is a collaboration between Jean Jullien and the Tara Ocean Foundation, in partnership with AXA, Cofrex and Nanzuka. The gentle creature will be on show at EXPO 2025 until 12 June.