Alexander James’ “A Kid Who Walked The Plank” opens tomorrow at Working Project in London. On view through October 28, the exhibition includes video, installation, and paintings, and is co-curated by Cara Mills.
For James’ first show at Working Project (where he’s been an artist in residence) he continues questioning the artist as the central subject in his narrative.
Courtesy of Cara Mills and Perry Fielding.
The show brings together his childhood memories, past life, and unconscious self. He imagines himself lost at sea grappling in his use of found materials. James associates the sea as an environment in which he can set himself free from any physical limits and constraints. He is interested in the relationship between the studio as a confining space and the openness of the ocean.
The editing process rings true to a journey of self-understanding and discovery. James uses multiple images as screens, but simultaneously frames the series of images within a broader frame.
Courtesy of Cara Mills and Perry Fielding.
The link between video and painting is clear in his home video-style footage. His images are cut and then layered much like negatives within a collage of different backgrounds and foregrounds.
James studied at Camberwell College of Arts in London and has exhibited in London, Berlin, Paris and will for the first time exhibit in New York in February. He has already garnered much attention and critical acclaim and his success is rooted in an understanding of contemporary cosmopolitan culture. James is a rising star on the young contemporary scene with a promising and exciting future, so keep your eyes on him going forward.
Courtesy of Cara Mills and Perry Fielding.
