The Chinese zodiac is a repeating cycle of twelve years, with each year being represented by a different animal. These twelve animals were chosen due to their relevance and cultural importance in China. 2016 is the Year of the Monkey, and people born under this zodiac sign are considered to be cunning and intelligent.
To celebrate the Year of the Monkey, Neocha collaborated with internationally renowned artist James Jean (whose Zugzwang series we previously featured) to create a special edition Beats by Dr. Dre “Year of the Monkey” Solo2 wireless headphones. The collaboration brought to life the traditional story of The Three Wise Monkeys who “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” The headphones presents the three wise monkeys hidden in an abstract design to show how they would exist in a modern context. The three monkeys are no longer unknowing; they can see it all, hear it all, and say it all in an instant. They are awakened, empowered, and curious.
This project was part of a campaign developed by our creative agency. You can learn more about the campaign here.
中国年以生肖来计每年会有不同的代表动物，十二年循环一次。这十二个生肖动物是因其关联性和在中国文化中的重要性而被精心挑选出来的。2016年是猴年，凡是在猴年出生的人通常都比较灵活聪明。
为了庆祝猴年到来，Neocha与国际知名艺术家James Jean（其Zugzwang系列早先已由我们报道过）携手重塑谚语故事中“三不猴”的“非礼勿视,非礼勿听,非礼勿言”，打造Beats by Dr. Dre猴年特别版Solo 2无线耳机。这款耳机将三只猴子藏匿在抽象的设计中，以此诠释它们在现代语境中的存在。这三只猴子不再被蒙蔽，它们看尽一切，耳闻四方，即刻倾诉。它们更加觉醒，更具力量，也满心好奇。
The Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth all play huge roles in Chinese astrology. Besides this year being the Year of the Monkey, 2016 is also a Fire Phase. James managed to draw inspiration from the concept of fire as well as the rebirthing energy of flames for this collaborative project. This is evident on the headset as the three wise monkeys are shrouded by a flowing torrent of white-hot flames. The Mandala, a sacred Buddhist symbol representing the universe, was also another source of inspiration during the design process. Mandalas consists of an outer ring of fire, which James feels like the headphones are representative of. Beyond the ring of fire is chaos, external elements that this outer ring of fire keeps out. In the center of the Mandala is pure wisdom, a core of enlightenment, which is represented by the mind of the wearer.
金、木、水、火、土五元素在中国的八字五行中也是极其重要的，而2016从生肖年上计为猴年，五行上则属性为火。Jame将此作为灵感以重生之焰的插画元素融入整个设计中，因此耳机上清晰可见三只智猴被笼罩在白色炙热的行云迷焰中。此次耳机外壳设计也融入了神圣的佛教意象曼荼罗来表达人类思想中的宇宙。James觉得这款耳机就象征着曼荼罗，它以外环圈住这团烈焰。烈焰之外是混沌世界，超越烈焰外环的其它元素被隔绝。曼荼罗的中心是纯洁的智慧、启迪的核心，它也象征着思想的携带者。
James’ preliminary sketches reveal other color ways that were considered. Ultimately though, he decided on a neutral colors, and used a matte gray and white palette. He prefers the minimal design and clean colors as they give a sense of pureness and better represent a fresh start to a new year.
James Jean的初期草图展示了前期考虑过的其它配色方式，最终他选择了中性色调，以亚光灰和白色作为最终的设计基调。他表示自己不想用过于繁复的设计，倾向以干净的色调来象征即将来临的新年，一场焕然一新的开始。
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As part of the campaign, James also produced a limited edition artprint which he will release later this year. This artwork was created solely on the iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil. James revealed that this was the first time that he has completed a piece of work with a digital stylus. For the finishing touches, he processed it using Photoshop and VSCO filters. As much as he enjoys analog approaches to creating his art, he feels digital software has become a convenient tool for modern artists. He views a digital stylus the same as a traditional paintbrush – they are just tools to create. While tools are important, James stresses that the “creative idea and vision are the most important.”
作为猴年广告的一部分，James也为Apple品牌创作了另一个限量版设计，计划将于今年晚些时候发布。而这次的设计稿完全是他靠一支触控笔在iPad Pro上独立完成，他说这是他第一次用触控笔完成一幅画作。当插画完成后，他将其导入VSCO和Photoshop进行最后润色。同样喜欢传统方式作画的他认为比起传统笔刷，使用数码软件作画已经日益成为当代艺术家更为便捷的创作方式，他打趣说尽管他无法从草图阶段就开始使用数码作画，但至少他还是能用它进行创作的。最后他强调绘画工具对于艺术家来说并不是最重要的，“概念和想象力才是最重要的部分。”
