ABOUT
Javon Chapman (b. 1993) is a multidisciplinary contemporary artist working across film, painting, and installation. In 2009 he developed JTUtv, a 10 episode video series that included traveling, comedic sketches, music videos, and shock value imagery.
In high school, he experimented with early visual work in AP Literature, presenting short films on projectors and submitting storyboards as assignments.
He went on to study at the Colorado Film School of Cinematics, and directed three black and white short films that surprised his peers, unaware of his earlier experience. During this time, he also participated in various contemporary art exhibitions and film screenings, treating every experience as informal education.
His current practice with creating ZELO CORP, which is an ever changing art laboratory, evolved into a layered visual language that blends film, installation, and scientific ideas like microbiology, along with concepts of artistic expiration from creation to destruction.
CREDITS / INFLUENCES
The concepts depicted influences from comedian Dave Chappelle, a scientist Bill Nye, film director Quentin Tarantino, tv network Adult Swim, animator David Firth, video game developer Hideo Kojima, actor Tyler Perry, filmmaker Edgar Wright, artist
Takashi Murakami, painter Van Minnen, film director Wes Anderson, Olafur Eliasson immersive environments and architect Hiroshi Sambuichi
CURRICULUM VITAE
EXHIBITIONS
'ABANDONED DISCOVERIES'
A duo gallery exhibition showcasing sitting on abandoned chairs in Tokyo, Japan. A collaboration with Sumi Masanori who has sat in over 3000 chairs, Javon superimposed characters from Zelo Corp over several chair sitting compilation pages. While in Shibuya, They stumbled upon a chair which lead to an impromptu photoshoot by Masaou Yamaji in the middle of busy Shibuya crossing.
This installation was on display at 'Liam Gallery' in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan by Javon The Unique And Sumi Masanori in August 2025
'VENERATION OF MICROCOSMS'
An installation that carried over from a previous exhibit 'Aloft the humus'. Renovated entirely within an existing space to resemble a life sized terrarium where every participant was greeted with a scent of fresh blueberries, nature sounds, photos with the 'Baghead' mascot and a personal greeting from Javon himself, to ensure each guest knew who created the installation.
The installation changed the final 3 days to a mock-up studio space that displayed a TV playing JTUtv films and videos, a playstation to play Tekken, a multitude of books from a personal collection, a wall of classic video game posters and creative influences from magazine articles such as Tyler Oknoma, Pharrell Williams, Lakeith Stanfield, Serena Williams and Keith Powers
This installation was on display in a vacant space within 'Milkbar' in Denver, CO by Javon The Unique August 2024
'ALOFT THE HUMUS'
A gallery exhibition influenced by 'Humus' an organic matter found in soil when specimens decompose. Upon arrival you could hear quaint rainforest melodies and a slight scent of fress cut grass. On display was a collection of prototype brightly colored plush characters, paintings that represented the layers of soil, a reapearing mascot 'Baghed', and a floor to ceiling window that displays Japans active alley pathways where passerbyers could see the exhibit from afar.
This exhibition was on display at 'Liam gallery' in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan by Javon The Unique in February 2024
'UNDER THE SCOPE'
An exhibition derived from the evolution of microbiology through a microscope. 12 mixed media canvases were illustrated with characters over shrouded cloudy backgrounds, microscope slides where specimens are held in a controlled environment for further studies.
This exhibition was on display at 'fooLPRoof Gallery' in Denver, CO by Javon Chapman in July 2023
'ZELO CORP INSTALLATION'
A public installation showcasing Zelo Corporations future projects in an 11 panel box. The installation also encouraged the youth to participate by drawing on coloring pages and photographs with one of Zelo Corps mascots 'Baghead'.
This installation was on display at the 'Town center of Aurora' in Denver, CO by Javon The Unique in May 2022
'OUT DA TRUNK'
A mobile pop-up event where a blue vehicles trunk was filled to the brim with plush pillows, clothing, coloring books, and a 'Unique Box' that included all original handmade items by Javon The Unique in 2021 - 2022