James McQueen, Five Things to Know

On November 15th, James McQueen's latest solo show opened to the public at Halcyon Gallery displaying a new body of works using Penguin Books covers as a starting point for bold and satirical paintings. The exhibition entitled, If You Ever Leave Me I'm Coming with You, will run until January 7th.

Discover below five things to know about the artist, and if you are interested in adding to your collection speak to one of our art consultants. - email us now.

Anonymity

James McQueen is a pseudonym; his identity is anonymous. The artist explains:

'Staying behind the mask enables me to enjoy the creative process without being concerned about praise or recognition. I enjoy what I do and I want my art to speak for itself.'

In spite of these efforts to conceal his identity his approach to painting reveals elements of his personality. His application of the medium is bold and expressive, applying layers of thick paint in explosive gestures. The text, which plays such a central role in hits art, is in many cases deeply personal, deriving from the artist's own life experiences and conversations.

The teacup rings are a charming personal touch. They are present in every work, serving almost as a trademark, and connecting the viewer with the anonymous artist and his process.

A Lover of Books

McQueen's visual style has grown organically, inspired by his affection for the Penguin Book cover, a much-beloved symbol of British identity.

For McQueen, Penguin books represent the democratisation of the written word; founded in 1935, the company's mission was to produce books at a low cost, enabling them to be widely accessible to all income levels - making them an object of familiarity and sentimentality for many.

Experimental, complex and varied, McQueen's paintings break new ground in the rage of possibilities that can be achieved using the Penguin cover motif and design language.

Insignia

In all his paintings, McQueen includes a spray-painted monkey wearing a hat in place of the Penguin icon. He describes this playful character as a 'personal insignia':

'I wanted a character that I could identify with, something mischievous with a sense of humour that can push boundaries.'

McQueen's 'character' is an evolution of a motif that was originally made famous by the graffiti artist Banksy. By representing this monkey wearing a hat, McQueen makes this motif his own. This playful approach to the recontextualization of existing artistic concepts and iconography runs throughout his visually striking canvases.

In many of his paintings, his personal insignia is holding the hand of another monkey. The artist explains that he wanted his insignia to 'have a partner in crime, much like me and my wife.'

The Legacy of Pop-Art

In taking inspiration from a commercial product and elevating a work of graphic design to the level of 'fine art', McQueen continues the legacy of Pop art. Andy Warhol, the most celebrated Pop artist in history, famously pioneered this approach by transforming the Campbell's Soup can, a product widely stocked in supermarkets and consumed across America, into rare and exciting works of fine art.

Through the appropriation of commercial designs that are so deeply rooted in western culture, both the paintings of Warhol and McQueen exist as a complex cultural symbols that reflect the social and economic circumstances of a nation at a particular time.

Second-hand

McQueen is intrigued by the life of a second-hand book. Unlike Warhol's pristine soup cans, he incorporates the aesthetic of 'wear and tear', seeking to recreate the character and personality of a book that has been passed down through numerous owners and generations.

McQueen explains: 'A book that has been passed down has had a life ... Everyone who owns it has put their little stamp on it, like a tea mark, pencil scribbles, or folded page corners.'

Second-hand books bear both the story written across their pages as well as the story of the owner who have passed them on.

Inspired by details observed across his vast personal collection of second-hand books, McQueen emphasises this quality in each of his paintings.

IF YOU EVER LEAVE ME I'M COMING WITH YOU, runs until January 7th. If you are interested in adding to your collection speak to one of our art consultants. - email us now