Merlin James

{{Short description|British artist (born 1960)}} {{Use British English|date=November 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} '''Merlin James''' (born 1960 in Cardiff, Wales)<ref name="The Irish Times">{{cite news|last=Dunne |first=Aidan |title=A Wizard in the Gallery |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-30769671.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328212019/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-30769671.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 March 2015 |via=HighBeam Research |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=23 February 2012 |accessdate=2014-11-11 }}</ref> is an artist living and working in Glasgow, Scotland.

==Life and work==

James studied at Central School of Art and Design, London, and the Royal College of Art, London.<ref name="The Irish Times" /> His college thesis, on French artist Jean Hélion, led to Hélion introducing him to London's Albemarle Gallery and subsequently to James' first solo exhibition there in 1990.<ref name="Indy96">{{cite news|last=Cohen |first=David |title=Painting with attitude: the art of creative spontaneity |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/painting-with-attitude-the-art-of-creative-spontaneity-1311702.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/painting-with-attitude-the-art-of-creative-spontaneity-1311702.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Independent |date=26 August 1996 |accessdate=2014-11-11 }}</ref> James moved from London to Glasgow in 2004.

Of roughly the same generation as the Young British Artists, James is perhaps unusual in making work on the model of the traditional easel picture.<ref name="The Irish Times" /> It frequently takes the form of small-scale paintings on stretched canvas or polyester, sometimes incorporating artist-made frames.<ref name="Vitamin P2">Barry Schwabsky and Morgan Falconer et al., Vitamin P2, Phaidon, London, 2011.</ref> He also makes drawings and prints.

As a critic Merlin James has published widely, including many articles and contributions to books and catalogues. In 2002 he became the first to hold the Alex Katz Visiting Chair in Painting at Cooper Union.<ref name="Painting per se">James, Merlin. "Painting ''per se''" lecture delivered at Cooper Union Great Hall, New York, 28 February 2002.</ref> In 2007 James represented Wales at the 52nd Venice Biennale.<ref name="Venice Biennale">Firth, Hannah and Merlin James. "Merlin James: artists from Wales at the 52nd International Art Exhibition, Venice." Cardiff, Wales. 2007.</ref>

==Notable solo exhibitions== * 1995 ''Poussin's Phocion'', National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, Wales<ref name="Indy96" /> * 1996 ''Merlin James'', Kettle's Yard Gallery, Cambridge, England<ref name="Indy96" /> * 2001 ''Merlin James'', Andrew Mummery Gallery, London, UK<ref name="aanantzoo.com" /> * 2004 ''Merlin James: Easel Painting'', Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland – 40 works covering a 20-year period.<ref name="Scotsman04">{{cite news|last=Mansfield |first=Susan |title=Live reviews: Merlin James: Easel Painting |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-13043568.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328212056/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-13043568.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 March 2015 |via=HighBeam Research |work=The Scotsman |date=26 March 2004 |accessdate=2014-11-11 }}</ref> * 2005 ''Merlin James'', Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York, NY, US<ref name="aanantzoo.com" /> * 2007 ''Merlin James'', Venice Biennale, 52nd International Art Exhibition, Wales Pavilion, Italy (catalogue)<ref name="aanantzoo.com" /> * 2012 ''Merlin James: In The Gallery'', Douglas Hyde Gallery, Trinity College, Dublin, Eire<ref name="The Irish Times" /> * 2013 ''Merlin James'', Parasol Unit Foundation for Contemporary Art, London, UK (catalogue)<ref name="aanantzoo.com" /> * 2013 ''Signal Box'', KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany (catalogue)<ref name="aanantzoo.com" /> * 2014 ''Freestyle'', Kunstverein Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany<ref name="aanantzoo.com" /> * 2014 ''Merlin James – Paintings, Drawings, Prints'', Aanant & Zoo, Berlin, Germany<ref name="aanantzoo.com">[http://www.aanantzoo.com/artists/merlin-james/ Merlin James at Aanant & Zoo, Berlin]{{better source needed|date=November 2014}}</ref>

==Notable group exhibitions== Source:<ref name="aanantzoo.com"/>

* 2004 ''The Edge of Real'', Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK * 2006 ''Faces of a Collections'', Kunsthalle Mannheim, Germany * 2008/9 ''21: Selections of Contemporary Art from the Brooklyn Museum'', Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY, USA * 2009 ''Nus'', Fortes Valeca, São Paulo, Brazil * 2010 ''Long Long Gone'', Leo Koenig, New York, NY, USA * 2013 ''Picture Show'', Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, Scotland * 2013 ''Inevitable Figuration'', Museo Pecci, Prato, Italy

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160323180147/http://sikkemajenkinsco.com/files/pdfs/2733_MJ%20Artforum%20April2013.pdf Artforum review of ''Merlin James'' at Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire, by Mara Hoberman] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160803195330/http://mummeryschnelle.com/pdf/Paintingperse.pdf ''Painting per se'', Lecture delivered by Merlin James at Cooper Union Great Hall, New York, 28 February 2002] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055556/http://images.exhibit-e.com/www_kerlin_ie/Frieze_Magazine_Merlin_James.pdf Frieze review of ''Merlin James'' at Sikkema Jenkins & Co, by Ara H. Merjian] * [http://www.aanantzoo.com/artists/merlin-james/ Represented by Aanant & Zoo, Berlin] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160307073442/http://www.kerlingallery.com/artists/merlin-james/selected-works Represented by Kerlin Gallery, Dublin] * [http://sikkemajenkinsco.com/index.php?v=artist&artist=4eece1e886623/ Represented by Sikkema Jenkins & Co, New York] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140709171253/http://www.mummeryschnelle.com/pages/james.htm Represented by Mummery + Schnelle, London]

{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Merlin}} Category:1960 births Category:Artists from Glasgow Category:Artists from Cardiff Category:Alumni of the Central School of Art and Design Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Art Category:Living people Category:Welsh contemporary artists