Jean Francois Painchaud posted his thrumming-rainbow-sex animations on social media, they would (unsurprisingly) survive for a bit then get taken down. Then, Facebook banned several illustrations at once and the move gained him thousands of followers via his tumblr. In an interview with VICE Colombia he said, “Whenever they take down my art or censor me, I make a big deal out of it, hoping that we might be able to change this culture of incessant censoring over time.”
Also unsurprisingly, he lists psychedelics as an influence, saying, “I feel that both psychedelics and sex can help you transcend your ego and tap into a purer state of being – of living in the moment.” Taking mushrooms affected his art but also helped him work through depression and anxiety.
His animations are captivating, a lurid spectacle of pornography-meets-Rainbow-Brite, and the sexual pieces are balanced with his other obsession: pets. His animated cats sometimes have third eyes or cuddle with people as rainbows stripe their limbs. You may have seen his now-meme: a man shooting a cat like a gun.
We’d love to see him continue to push his creative envelope, creating pieces that expand beyond portraying solely young, thin white women and men—though obviously we love them as is.
