Intersection | Alexander James

Artist Alexander James is staging a major solo exhibition in entitled Intersection. It will be a culmination of the artist’s long-standing fascination with the theme Vanitas and will demonstrate his mastery of an entirely unique artistic process.

Using objects from nature and handmade props, James constructs ephemeral sculptural installations underwater in black tanks filled with highly purified water, the final stage of which is to photograph the scene. He utilises the natural interaction between the object, light and lens when submerged in water to create a painterly effect. All of his photographs are presented ‘as shot’, free from post-production and digital editing. In an age increasingly dominated by digital imagery, James’ dedication to in-camera purity adds an additional layer of intrigue to his artwork. This exhibition will showcase the series Vanitas, with complimentary new works from Swarm and Glass which embody his varied and complex oeuvre.

The inspiration for many of James’ works is taken from a long artistic tradition which highlights the temporality and fragility of life. This is particularly evident in his series Vanitas which is directly influenced by the 17th century Dutch masters. These works depict objects such as decaying fruit, cut flowers and valuable items to illustrate the transience of life and earthly pleasures. The subtle yet pervading presence of water in these works not only changes the aesthetics but symbolises the power that water has both to give life and to take it away. The underlying messages in these works have been the focus of James’ artistic output for almost a decade and his various explorations of this subject-matter will converge in this exhibition. The works will be produced on an unprecedented large format scale, so as to completely envelop the viewer.