James White

Biography

James White’s black and white oil paintings depict everyday scenes and objects such as a half empty glass or bottle, a door left ajar, a running tap. The London based artist executes these reflecting surfaces intricately in a highly contrasted palette, invoking the tradition of still life painting, yet using contemporary materials, cinematic narrative devices and images of consumer objects that anchor his practise in today’s visual culture. The sources of White’s work, painted on aluminium, wood or acrylic panels, are photographs of his immediate environment at home, in bars or hotel rooms. The paintings of these mundane moments in between seem to be evidence of encounters and events taking place just before, after or outside the frame. The structured absence in them creates a narrative space charged with suspense and ambiguity, challenging relations of temporality and space as well as roles of protagonist and observer. While the verisimilitude and psychological tension of the paintings direct the viewers’ attention away from the surface, the pairing of two disparate images within a frame in some of the artist’s work showcases the process of cropping and cutting. 

White’s photographic prints of familiar interior details, too, combine black and white photographs with color flares and collages with aluminium tape, emphasising their own physical construction as objects. His most recent works on paper are unique large-scale archival pigment prints of his characteristic subjects. This time the images appear muted as they seem to float above or behind a graph paper pattern, the image plane disrupted and accentuated by lines of aluminium tape or apertures cut into the surface to reveal yellow acrylic paint.

Biography

Born 1967 in Tiverton, UK.

Lives and works in London, UK.

Education

1986 – 1989

Wimbledon College of Art, London, UK

1989 – 1991

Royal College of Art, London, UK

Grants and Awards

2006

John Moores 24 Painting Prize, Liverpool, UK

Solo Exhibitions

2024

James White: Means To An End, Zander Galerie Paris, Paris, France

2022

James White. Isola, Certosa di San Giacomo, Capri, Italy

James White. I’ll See You When I See You, Fondation Fernet-Branca, St. Louis, France

2021

James White. New Paintings, Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne

Conversation/s. James White and Günter Umberg, Fox Jensen Gallery, Sydney, Australia

James White. Not this time, Galerie Greta Meert, Brussels, Belgium

2020

James White: New Paintings, Sean Kelly Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2019

Günter Umberg | James White. Conversation, Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne, Germany

2017

James White. BODIES, Blain Southern, London, UK

2016

James White. ASPECT:RATIO, Sean Kelly Gallery, New York, USA

James White. Eight, Gerhardsen Gerner, Berlin, Germany

2013

James White. From this Position, Gerhardsen Gerner, Oslo, Norway

James White. The Black Mirror, Sean Kelly, New York, USA

James White. And from this Position, Max Wigram, London, UK

2012

James White. Paintings and Photographs, Siegfried Contemporary, London, UK

2011

James White, Project B, Milan, Italy

James White. Another Hotel, Gerhardsen Gerner, Berlin, Germany

2010

James White, Max Wigram Gallery, London, UK

2009

James White c/o – Gerhardsen Gerner, Berlin, Germany

2008

James White. The Rough With the Smooth, Max Wigram Gallery, London, UK

James White c/o – Atle Gerhardsen, Berlin, Germany

2007

James White. Doomed, Max Wigram Gallery, London, UK

James White. New Paintings, The Goss-Michael Foundation, Dallas, Texas, USA

2004

James White. United Elements, MW projects, London, UK

2003

James White. Paintings, Museum 52, London, UK

2000

James White. Atoll, Fig-1, London, UK

James White. Paradise, Casey Kaplan Gallery, New York, USA

1999

James White. The Incidental Monumental 2, Modern Art, London, UK

1998

James White. The Incidental Monumental, Tomato Projects, London, UK

1997

James White & Tim Sheward, Entwistle Gallery, London, UK

James White & Tim Sheward, Casey Kaplan Gallery, New York, USA

1996

James White. Risky Business, Banner Street, London, UK

1993

James White, Gavin Turk’s studio, London, UK

2022

James White. I’ll See You When I See You, Fondation Fernet-Branca, St. Louis, France

Group Exhibitions

2024

This Person Does Not Exist at RN5A, 5a Bathurst Street, London, UK 

BUMP at Matt Carey-Williams, London, UK

2023 – 2024

PaintingPhotography, H2 – Zentrum für Gegenwartskunst im Glaspalast, Augsburg, Germany

2022

Fragile! Alles aus Glas. Grenzbereiche des Skulpturalen, Kunstmuseum Ahlen, Ahlen, Germany

2021

Essentials, Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne, Germany

2020

Analogue, Fox Jensen McCrory, Auckland, New Zealand

BOOKS. An exhibition of books about art and art about books, Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne, Germany

2020 – 2021

Deceptive Images—Playing with Painting and Photography, Marta Herford, Museum for Art, Architecture and Design, Herford, Germany

2020

Emotion and Structure, Galerie Thomas Zander, Cologne, Germany

2019

Di fuochi e accesi sensi, Galerie Greta Meert, Brussels, Belgium

Indoor Voices, Greystone Industries, Suffolk, UK

2018

EDIFICE, COMPLEX, VISIONARY, STRUCTURE, Sean Kelly, New York, USA

Heads Roll, Graves Gallery, Sheffield, UK

In Times of Plenty: The Shape of Things Today, Reflex Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Malevolent Eldritch Shrieking, Attercliffe, Sheffield, UK

NGORONGORO II, Lehderstrasse 34, Berlin, Germany

2017

Malverkasyning, i8 Gallery, Reykjavik, Island

Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still Life, Guildhall Art Gallery, London, UK

Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still Life, Museum Narodowe, Wroctaw, Poland

SELECTED, Sean Kelly Gallery, New York, USA

2016

Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still Life Tradition, Konsthallen Bohuslan, Uddervalla, Sweden

WHAT’S UP 2.0, 94 Portland Place, London, UK

2015

Nature Morte: Contemporary Artists Reinvigorate the Still Life, Ha gamle prestegard, Stavanger, Norway

TUTTI FRUTTI, Turps Banana Gallery, London, UK

2013

Dirty Pop, And Model, Leeds, UK

Revealed 2: Collector Space, Samstag Museum of Art, Adelaide, Australia

Viewfinder, Time Sheward Projects, London, UK

2012

Minderwertige Gemälde, Galeria Cadaqués-Huc Malla, Cadaqués, Spain

2010

Dawnbreakers, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, UK

Keep Me Posted, Posted, London, UK

Realism – The Adventure of Reality, Kunsthal Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands

2009

Realism – The Adventure of Reality, Kunsthalle Emden, Emden and Kunsthalle der Hypo Kulturstiftung, Munich, Germany

2008

Go for it! Art from the Olbricht Collection, Weserburg Museum of Modern Art, Bremen, Germany

2007

All Tomorrows Pictures, ICA, London, UK

2006

John Moores 24, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

2005

Chambres à Part, Hotel Sezz, Paris, France God is bored of us II, FMCG, London, UK

2004

New Blood, The Saatchi Gallery, London, UK

2002

Paintings in Hospitals, The Saatchi Gallery, London, UK

2000

4 British Artists, Archimede Staffoloni Gallery, Nicosia, Cyprus

Blue, The New Art Gallery, Walsall, UK

Octoberfest 2000, VTO, London, UK

Gallery Artists, Casey Kaplan, New York, USA

1999

Cartoons and Comics, Heathrow Airport, Heathrow, UK

Fun de Siele, Middlesborough Art Gallery / Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle /

Walsall Museum and Art Gallery, UK

1998

Artclub Berlin, Videoforum, Berlin, Germany

1997

Group Show, Entwistle Gallery, London, UK

Honky Tonk, The Kitchen, London, UK

1996

Against, Anthony d’Offay Gallery, London, UK

Fool’s Rain, Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) London, UK

Some of my best friends are Geniuses, Independent Art Space, London, UK

Video work at the Tramshed, Ridinghouse Editions, London, UK

White & Sheward, Michael Joo, Max Wigram, The Post Office, London, UK

1993

Lucky Kunst, Silver Place, London, UK

1992

Jake Chapman, Dinos Chapman, James White, Sam Taylor-Wood, Clove2 Gallery, London, UK

Selected Bibliography

2023

Privacy Please, The gesso painted photographs. James White Studio. London.

2022

James White. I’ll See You When I See You. Saint Louis: Fondation Fernet-Branca.

James White. Evidence. London: Mack.

2019

Thomas Zander (Ed.): Günter Umberg | James White. Conversation, Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Cologne, Germany

2018

White, James: James White. Small Paintings, Kerber Verlag, Berlin, Germany

McCord, Brooke: James White. Hunger Magazine, Issue 15, Autumn/Winter

2017

Jackson, Emily: James White. Bodies, BlainISouthern, London, UK

2016

Editors: 8 Art Events to Attend in New York City This Week. Artnews, February 8

N.N.: Gerhardsen Gerner is very pleased to announce the fifth solo exhibition with the British painter James White at the Berlin gallery. Art Rabbit, November 4

Keh, Pei-Ruh: Black and White? Sean Kelly showcases the hyperreal paintings of James White, Wallpaper, February 11

Steer, Emily: 5 Questions With James White. Elephant Magazine, February 11

2015

Wilson, Kate: Drawing and Painting. Materials and Techniques for Contemporary Artists, Thames and Hudson, London, UK

2014

Valli, Marc and Margherita Dessanay: A Brush with the Real. Figurative Painting Today, Laurence King, London, UK

2013

Petry, Michael: Nature Morte. Contemporary artists reinvigorate the still life tradition, Thames and Hudson, London, UK

Arikoglu, Lale: James White on Pop, Photorealism and the YBA Days. Whitewall, March 22

Carey-Kent, Paul: ART STUFF on a train #25: When Photos are Paintings and Paintings are Photos. FAD online, October 22

N.N.: James White, Luis Zerbini. Mousse Magazine, October/November

Levine, Kim: Anthony McCall and James White. ARTnews, May

Prapoglou, Kostas: James White: ‘…and from this Position’ @ Max Wigram Gallery. REVma, October 8

2012

Bolivar, Juan: James White. Abstract Thoughts, Siegfried Contemporary, London, UK

Editors: 12 Things to Do in New York’s Art World Before February 12. Observer, February 8

Moore, Alex: Cornered. Wallpaper, June 25

N.N.: Paintings. James White, Digital Temple Magazine, Spring

Spence, Rachel: The real thing. Financial Times, July 14

2011

Herbert, Martin and Millar, Jeremy: James White. Paintings, FUEL, London, UK

Colajanni, Martina: James White. Exibart, April 1

N.N.: James White. On our London Watchlist, Artslant, April

Pippo, Angela: La Lunga istantanea dell’iper-reale. Artribune, April 14

Rossi, Benedetta: Istantanee di fascino. Insideart.eu, April 22

2010

The Adventure of Reality. International Realism Kunsthal Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Dawnbreakers. John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, UK

Sheerin, Mark: Personal clutter given photorealist treatment for James White shots at Max Wigram Gallery. Culture 24, June 18

2009

Realism – The Adventure of Reality. Kunsthalle Emden and Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Munich, Germany

Wilson, Michael: James White. Artforum, January

2008

Go for it! The Olbricht Collection. Neues Museum, Bremen, Germany

Kuhn, Nicola: In der Fremde. Der Tagesspiegel, April 12

N.N.: James White. Zitty Berlin, March 27–April 9

N.N.: James White. Der Tagesspiegel, March 27

Wiensowski, Ingeborg:Tageskarte Kunst. Rembrandt Reloaded, Spiegel Online, April 7

2007

James White. Doomed, Max Wigram Gallery, London, UK

All tomorrow pictures. Institute for Contemporary Art, London, UK

Gray, Richard: Exhibit. 10 Men Magazine, Spring

N.N.: James White. Cultureflash, April 19

Pasqualetti, Chiara: Alla Ricerca della Banalità, Arte Mondadori, Milan, Italy

2006

John Moores 24. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

2005

Coomer, Martin: James White: MWprojects. Time Out, London, UK, January 12–19

Lack, Jessica: James White: MWprojects. The Guardian Guide, London, UK, January 8–14

2004

Darwent, Charles: The other names to look out for. Independent on Sunday, London, UK, January

Lewisohn, Cedar: Art Category: James White. Dazed and Confused, London, UK

N.N.: Its all about. Harpers and Queen, January

2003

Hubbard, Sue: James White at Museum 52. The Independent, London, November 17

James White at Museum 52. GQ Magazine, November

Louden, Bruce: James White. Dazed and Confused, London, UK

Montgomery, Robert: Another Creative Programme. Another Magazine

2002

Paintings in Hospitals. The Saatchi Gallery, London, UK

2000

Blue. The New Art Gallery, Walsall, UK

Fig 1: v.1: 50 projects in 50 weeks, Spafax Publishing, London, UK

Dailey, Meghan: James White and Tim Sheward, Casey Caplan, Artforum, October

Johnson, Ken: James White and Tim Sheward, New York Times, June 16

N.N.: Young British Art. The Saatchi Decade, Booth-Clibborn Editions

1999

Fun de Siecle. Walsall Museum and Art Gallery, Walsall, UK

Price, Dick: Young British Art. The Saatchi Decade, Abrams Books, New York, USA

1998

N.N.: James White and Tim Sheward, Frieze, Issue 38, January/February

1997

Van de Valle, Mark: James White and Tim Sheward. Casey Caplan, Artforum, September

Saltz, Jerry: James White and Tim Sheward, Casey Caplan. Time out, June 13–20, New York, USA

1996

Some of my best Friends are Geniuses. Independent Art Space, London, UK

1992

Jake Chapman, Dinos Chapman, James White, Sam Taylor-Wood. Clove2 Gallery, London, UK

Public Collections

Goss-Michael Foundation, Dallas, Texas, USA

Kistefos Museum, Oslo, Norway

Olbricht Collection, Essen, Germany

The Saatchi Collection, London, UK

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