Biography
James William Murray (b.1988, United Kingdom) is an artist based in Brighton, UK. He has presented his work in international solo, group, and two-person exhibitions at venues including The Church Tower of Sint Anna ter Muiden, The Netherlands (2023); PS, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2023); Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke, Belgium (2022, 2021, 2017); Abingdon Studios, Blackpool, UK (2021); Rule Gallery, Denver, CO, USA (2019); and Towner Eastbourne, UK (2018, 2016).
Murray has received funding for his work from various organisations, including an Arts Council England National Lottery grant, a 'time-space' bursary from The Artist Information Company, a Research and Knowledge Exchange grant from the University of Brighton, and an Eastbourne Arts Circle.
In 2022, he was an artist in residence at Rule Gallery in Marfa, Texas, USA. In 2018, he undertook a commission by Towner Eastbourne, UK, to produce a major new work.
Examples of Murray's work can be found in public collections, including The British Library, The University of Brighton, and The Hellenic Centre for Photography, as well as private collections in the UK, USA, and Europe.
Statement
I make paintings, objects, and prints. My motifs have specific formal criteria derived from my own bodily proportions. These include a 1:2 rectangle, a 1:2 cruciform, and a right triangle. These motifs are repeated, fragmented, and permutated through systematic processes of abstraction.
My method combines manual techniques with computer-aided drawing (CAD) and computer-numerically controlled (CNC) machine fabrication. I work with materials that have been used to make art for millennia, including copper, brass, beeswax, graphite, linen, paint, paper, and steel.
I have recently embraced colour in my work and am exploring a limited palette that includes ‘chrome green,’ ‘signal black,’ ‘dust grey,’ and ‘grey white’ from the RAL colour system – a universal language of colour. These colours are commonly seen on functional objects like fences, handrails, and post boxes, and are intended to seamlessly blend into street environments.
UK
Studio James William Murray
Phoenix Art Space
10-14 Waterloo Pl, Brighton BN2 9NB
E-mail: jameswilliammurray[at]gmail.com
Europe
Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art
Golvenstraat 7
8300 Knokke-Zoute, Belgium
Tel: +32 476 475 928
E-mail: info[at]stephanesimoens.com
USA
RULE Gallery
808 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO, USA
204 E San Antonio St, Marfa TX, USA
Tel: +1 303 800 6776
E-mail: info[@]rulegallery.com
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Selected Exhibitions
2023
State of Affairs, Two-person exhibition with Richard Graville, Studio James William Murray, Phoenix Art Space, Brighton UK, 30/09 - 01/10 2023
Full House, group exhibition, Canopy Collections, 4 Cromwell Place London, 14/09 - 01/10 2023
SATM, group exhibition, Stéphanie Frederickx, church tower of Sint Anna ter Muiden, The Netherlands, 15/07 - 27/08/2023
For Nothing is Simply One Thing, group exhibition, Canopy Collections, London UK 09/05 - 14/05/2023
with William Cobbing, Penelope Clayden, Sam Herman, Benedikte Klüver, James William Murray, Dan Rees, Marianne Thoermer, and designer duo Things From (Géraldine Boublil and Jessica Solnicki).
kruisvormen, PS, solo exhibition, 22/01 - 26/02/2023
2022
Great Small Works, group exhibition, Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke, Belgium 24/12/2022 - 20/02/2023with Philip Akkerman, Mirko Baricchi, Devendra Banhart, Laurenz Berges, Udona Boerema, Pavel Buchler, Walter Dahn, Matilde Duus, Damien Flood, Joe Goode, Alison Hall, Peter Halley, Ross Hansen, Niek Hendrix, Brad Kahlhamer, Konrad Klapheck, Takesada Matsutani, Lars Morell, David Murphy, Johan Nobell, Jinyong Park, Richard Pettibone, Ellen Pil, Machteld Rullens, Angelo Saveli, Maximilian Schubert, Peter Schuyff, Robin Seir, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Esther Tielemans, Luc Vanderveld, Keke Vilabelda, Masaaki Yamada.
Niagara Falls Projects: Return, group exhibition, Gallery DODO, Brighton UK 11/11/2022 - 18/01/2023
with David Batchelor, Duncan Bullen, Jacob Clark, Joseph Coniff, Doris Erbacher, Laurence Grave, Richard Graville, May Hands, Rupert Hartley, Nick Naber, David Murphy, Martin Seeds
Turn Your Face Towards My Face (solo) Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke BE
2021
Material Curing (group) with Katrin Hanusch, Celeste McEvoy, Ieva Raudsepa and Tilo & Toni, Thames-Side Studios Gallery, London UK
James William Murray: Realia (solo) Brighton Centre for Contemporary Arts, Brighton UK
Too Young To Fruit (group) with Dominic Beattie, Patrick Brandon, Andy Child, Jake Clark, Ben Cohen, Bobby Dowler, Tim Ellis, Doris Erbacher, Slaven Gabric, Adam Gillam, Dave Hanger, Norman Hyams, Alex Jones, Max Mason, Alex Macdonald, James William Murray, Elliot Nehra, Laurence Noga, Jack O’Neil, Benedict Owen, Nigel Palmer, Frances Richardson, Anne Ryan, Amy Stephens, Hanna ten Doornkaat, Ross Taylor, Adam Tunnicliffe, Wevet Projects, Brighton UK
Object Q / Pursuit of Happiness (two-person) with Garth Gratrix, Gallery DODO Brighton UK
Many Splendored Things (two-person) Garth Gratrix, Abingdon Studios Blackpool UK
New Ideal (group) with Paul Anagnostopoulos, MK Baily, Damon Davis, Matthew Harris, Delphine Hennelly, Mildred Howard, Rule Gallery Denver CO USA
2020
Between The Lines (group) with Richard Artschwager, Raoul de Keyser, Ross Hansen, Robert Mangold, Richard Serra, Dan Van Severen, Masaaki Yamada, Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke BE
When Net Becomes Form, (virtual group) artetcetcetc
Great Small Works (group) with Philip Akkerman, Anonymous, Laurenz Berges, Udona Boerema, Michael Canning, Walter Dahn, Laurent Da Sylva, Raoul De Keyser, Matilde Duus, Ivan Liovik Ebel, Damien Flood, Albrecht Fuchs, Tobias Hantmann, Niek Hendrix, Diango Hernandez, Klara Hosnedlova, Brad Kahlhammer, Natasja Mabesoone, Jesper Skov Madsen, Sally Mann, Lars Morell, David Murphy, James William Murray, Frank Nitsche, Johan Nobell, Jan Schoonhoven, Maximilian Schubert, Robin Seir, Berend Strik, Kei Takemura, Luc Vandervelde, Keke Vilabelda, Masaaki Yamada, Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke BE
2019
Grounded (group) with Adam Fowler, M Benjamin Herndon, Jill O’Bryan, Rule Gallery, Denver CO USA
Salon (group) with Sean Birnie, Joshua Legallienne, Jess Dadds, Ridder Levitt, Rachel Maloney, Simon Sandys, Matt Page, Kirsty Thomas, Thomas Truscott, John Williams, curated by Haley Moyse-Fenning University of Brighton UK
On The Stretcher (group) with Jesper Skov Madsen, Maximilian Schubert, Luc Vandevelde, Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke BE
2018
Lingering (two-person) with Philip Van Isacker, Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke BE
ideal-i (two-person) with Alexander Glass, Niagara Falls Projects, Brighton UK
Sussex Open 18, (group) Towner Gallery, Eastbourne UK
Marks Make Meaning: Drawing Across Disciplines (group) with Duncan Bullen, Antony Gormley, Irvin Pascal, Rachel Whiteread, Mark Wright, University of Brighton UK
2017
Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing (solo) Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke BE
Desire Works (solo) Project 78, St Leonard’s by Sea UK
Old 16 / New 17 (group) with Ross Hansen, Berend Strik, Laurent Da Sylva, Stephane Simoens Contemporary Fine Art, Knokke BE
2016
Screened, (group) with Sean Birnie, Alberto Sinigaglia, Ardesia Projects, Brighton Photo Fringe UK
Sussex Open, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne, UK
NYC Art Book Fair (solo) Daily Life Storage MoMA PS1. New York, USA
Athens Photo Festival Benaki Museum (Pireos Annexe), Athens GR
2015
Buzzed, (group) Phillips Auctioneers, London UK
After Desire (MA graduate show) University of Brighton UK
2013
London Art Fair, Axis project stand, Business Design Centre, London UK
200 Faces (group) Kingston House, Birmingham & Quayside Tower, Swindon UK
Bread & Roses (group) Alex Hardy, Rebecca Harris, Paul R Jones, Mark McGowan, aka The Artist Taxi Driver, Alex Pearl, Kate Pickering, Abbi Torrance, Tumim & Prendergast, Hanae Utamura, Rich White, curated by Julie McCalden, Motorcade Flashparade, Bristol UK
Miles Km (group) Bussey Building, London UK
Basement, (group) The Regency Town House, Hove UK
Curated Projects
2020
The Streets Where Foxes Hide (Reinis Lismanis), off-site Niagara Falls Projects exhibition at Brighton Centre For Contemporary Art UK
2019
Evil Rises, Niagara Falls, (Ashley Beachey, Sean Birnie, Richard Jed Butler, Bob Visser) Niagara Falls Projects Brighton UK
New Alchemy (Jure Kastelic), Niagara Falls Projects Brighton UK
Not the Dead Spit, (Sophie Barber & Georgia Hayes) Niagara Falls Projects Brighton UK
2018
Celestial Body, Spiritual Earth (Joseph Long), Niagara Falls Projects Brighton UK
Is this wet p*$$¥ remix no get enemy, nothing like this love that I’m feeling (Irvin Pascal) Niagara Falls Projects Brighton UK
2017
E2 - E4 (Jacob Clayton), Niagara Falls Projects Brighton UK
She, (Melissa Campbell), Niagara Falls Projects Brighton UK
Awards / Residencies
2022
a-n (The Artists Information Company) time-space bursary
Artist in Residence, Rule Gallery, Marfa Texas USA
2021
University of Brighton, doctoral college research grant
Arts Council England National Lottery project grant
2019
Artist in Residence, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne UK
2018
Sussex Open 18 Commission, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne UK
2013
Eye Witness Award, The independent
Education
2013 - 2015
Photography MA (distinction) University of Brighton UK
2008 - 2010
Performance and Visual Art BA (First Class Hons) University of Brighton UK
Talks & Teaching
2022
Artist Talk, Rule Gallery, Marfa Texas USA
2021 - 2023
Lecturer, University of Brighton UK
2020
Interpretive reading of ‘Specific Objects’ by Donald Judd, with Reinis Lismanis, online
Interpretive reading of ‘Some Notes on The Phenomenology of making’ by Robert Morris, online
2019
Writing as artistic form workshop, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne UK
Abstract drawing workshop, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne UK
Visiting lecturer, Hastings University Centre UK
2018
Visiting lecturer, Hastings University Centre UK
2017
Miniclick Photo Talks, Brighton UK
2016
Alternative Perspectives artist talk, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne UK
2015 - 2016
Coordinator of Unit 8 peer crit sessions, Brighton UK
Artist Books
Realia, 2022, Studio James William Murray, edition of 30, with text by Tom Laver and James William Murray
Also Men, 2021, Studio James William Murray, edition of 1000, with texts by Paul Bench and George Lynch
The Drawing Stone, 2020, Studio James William Murray, edition of 150, with text by Bryony Bodimeade
Beheld, 2015, Studio James William Murray, edition of 150, with text by Sean Birnie
Collections
University of Brighton UK
The British Library UK
Hellenic Centre for Photography GR
SPBH collection UK
Private collections throughout UK, USA, Europe
Membership of Professional bodies
Axis web
Artists’ Collecting Society (A.C.A)
British Art Network