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James,
on December 5th 1984.
His father was his first inspiration to become an artist, as his father actually
aspired to become a young artist but had to step back from his dream to support
his family properly.
He originally intended to pursue a career in commercial graphic design, but as he
began studying at Edna Manley College, but turned away from it as he felt that
graphic design could not convey give the depth and information that a painting
would. It was also at this school that he had his first exhibition in 2008.
This would be the first of many, and all leading up to his first solo exhibition in
2017 which was titled “Bellasario and the Sound-Boy”.
He works with mixed media and various sizes of work, ranging from oil paint on
canvas and paper, to stenciling on walls, and various instillation pieces made from
clay and plastic, and all of this came from him ultimately exploring painting,
ceramics and fashion design.
He gathered his inspiration at the beginning from artists like Andy Warhol and
James Jean as these artists were known for blurring the lines between graphic and
fine art.
Throughout the years its shown in his work as he mixes animated style characters
with realism, as well as his line work. In his time after leaving the college, he
began to analyzing the raw aspects of the contemporary Jamaican culture that
was his own, such as the various dances on the dancehall scene, as well as the
booming, synthetic pop of the ghetto youth, which was normally tasteless and
abandoned by Jamaica’s educated and wealthy classes.
These would become his subjects, as he would portray them using detailed
techniques which are usually linked with traditional fine art. Through this work he
has put forward, the local market has not only accepted this environment and
culture, but actually collect it as well.
This society likes jokes, parodies, and as such this is what he provides them with.
A means of entertaining their folly in a sense but cushioning the blow of how
deep these pieces are.
As stated before, he uses his love of Pop Art with a mix of various graffiti/graphic
art styles; then seeks to reinstate the aesthetics within the context of his own
culture. All of this is in an attempt to make a real relevant connection with said
culture, and makes sure his work is palatable and decisive for his audience. He
uses conflict as a device to intrigue others into his work.
He has taken part in art galleries since 2008 to 2017. Some of these shows are
Curator’s Selections Exhibition, Cag(e) Gallery, Edna Manley College, Jamaica,
2008
Final Year Exhibitions, Edna Manley College, Jamaica, 2009
“Art Fresh”, Mutual Gallery Kingston Jamaica, 2010
"Jamaican Routes", Punkt Ø Galleri F15 and Momentum, Moss Norway, 2016