
b.1960, Cardiff, Wales.
Merlin James approaches the history and legacy of painting with a highly considered and unconventional viewpoint. As commented by Artforum’s Sherman Sam, his work “has sought to rigorously problematise the experience of painting while simultaneously deepening its formal language”. Generally small in scale, his works depict diverse subject matter including vernacular architecture, riverside views, post-industrial landscapes, empty interiors, mysterious figures and scenes of sexual intimacy. His ‘frame paintings’ on gauzy, sheer material treat the structure of the picture frame and stretcher bar as an integral part of the work, while works on canvas might be collaged with tufts of hair or sawdust, distressed, pierced, cropped or heavily overpainted. Also an erudite and thoughtful critic, James has a deep engagement with the history of art and this knowledge shapes and informs his practice. His works refine and renew many of painting’s most time-honoured concerns – genre and narrative, pictorial space and expressive gesture, the emotive resonance of colour and texture.
Merlin James lives and works in Glasgow, Scotland.
Merlin James
Castle (Blue), 1984-86
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
117 x 147 cm / 46.1 x 57.9 in
Merlin James
Castle (Blue), 1984-86
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
117 x 147 cm / 46.1 x 57.9 in
Merlin James
Castle (Blue), 1984-86
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
117 x 147 cm / 46.1 x 57.9 in
Merlin James
Ashes, 2022
acrylic on canvas
79 x 65.5 cm / 31.1 x 25.8 in
Merlin James
Another Fire on Stage, 2006-07
acrylic on canvas
32 x 38 cm / 12.6 x 15 in
Merlin James
House tree bridge, 2018-21
mixed materials
121.5 x 160.5 x 5 cm / 47.8 x 63.2 x 2 in
Merlin James
Untitled, 2021
acrylic and ash on cotton
87 x 75 cm / 34.3 x 29.5 in
Merlin James
Day, 2018-19
acrylic and mixed materials
144.8 x 195.6 cm / 57 x 77 in
Merlin James
Winter, 2019
acrylic and mixed materials
76.8 x 61 cm / 30.2 x 24 in
Merlin James
The Window, 2020
acrylic and mixed materials
151.1 x 208.9 cm / 59.5 x 82.2 in
Merlin James
Birdcage, 2018
acrylic and mixed materials
31.1 x 22.9 cm / 12.2 x 9 in
Merlin James
Red building, 2017-19
acrylic, hair and mixed materials on canvas
40 x 77 cm / 15.7 x 30.3 in
Merlin James
Crossing, 2016
acrylic and mixed media
88 x 132 cm / 34.6 x 52 in
Merlin James
Painter (Hair), 2013-21
acrylic and hair on canvas
51 x 85 cm / 20.1 x 33.5 in
Merlin James
Estuary, 2014
acrylic, wood and mixed media
100 x 186 cm / 39.4 x 73.2 in
Collection of Musee d’Art Moderne de Paris
Merlin James
Mirror portrait, 2021
acrylic on canvas
46 x 30 cm / 18.1 x 11.8 in
Merlin James
Painter (Red), 1986
acrylic on canvas
67 x 143 cm / 26.4 x 56.3 in
Collection of TATE Gallery, London
Merlin James
Castle (Blue), 1984-86
acrylic and mixed media on canvas
117 x 147 cm / 46.1 x 57.9 in
Merlin James
House tree bridge, 2018-21
mixed materials
121.5 x 160.5 x 5 cm / 47.8 x 63.2 x 2 in
Merlin James
Red building, 2017-19
acrylic, hair and mixed materials on canvas
40 x 77 cm / 15.7 x 30.3 in
Merlin James
Estuary, 2014
acrylic, wood and mixed media
100 x 186 cm / 39.4 x 73.2 in
Collection of Musee d’Art Moderne de Paris
Merlin James
Painter (Red), 1986
acrylic on canvas
67 x 143 cm / 26.4 x 56.3 in
Collection of TATE Gallery, London
KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, 2013
Merlin James has been the subject of solo exhibitions at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin; Kunstverein Freiberg, Germany; Parasol Unit, London; New York Studio School; Vitamin Arte Contemporanea, Turin; Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh; the National Museum of Wales and Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin. Recent solo exhibitions include OCT Boxes Art Museum, Shunde; OCT Art & Design Gallery, Shenzhen (both 2018) and CCA, Glasgow (2016). Recent group exhibitions include Willumsens Museum (Online, 2021); The Levinsky Gallery, Plymouth (2020); Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds (2019); Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra (2018) and Artspace, Sydney. In 2007, James represented Wales at the 52nd Venice Biennale.
Merlin James
Long Game, 2018
OCT Boxes Art Museum, China; OCT Art & Design Gallery, Shenzhen, China
Merlin James
Long Game, 2016
CCA, Glasgow, Scotland
Merlin James
Long Game, 2016
CCA, Glasgow, Scotland
Merlin James
Long Game, 2016
CCA, Glasgow, Scotland
Merlin James
Long Game, 2016
CCA, Glasgow, Scotland
Merlin James
Long Game, 2016
CCA, Glasgow, Scotland
Merlin James
Long Game, 2016
CCA, Glasgow, Scotland
Merlin James
Freestyle, 2014
Kunstverein Freiberg, Germany
Merlin James
Freestyle, 2014
Kunstverein Freiberg, Germany
Merlin James
Freestyle, 2014
Kunstverein Freiberg, Germany
Merlin James
Freestyle, 2014
Kunstverein Freiberg, Germany
Merlin James
Freestyle, 2014
Kunstverein Freiberg, Germany
Merlin James
Merlin James, 2013
Parasol Unit, London, UK
Merlin James
Merlin James, 2013
Parasol Unit, London, UK
Merlin James
Merlin James, 2013
Parasol Unit, London, UK
Merlin James
Merlin James, 2013
Parasol Unit, London, UK
Merlin James
Signal Box, 2013
KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany
Merlin James
Signal Box, 2013
KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany
Merlin James
Signal Box, 2013
KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany
Merlin James
Signal Box, 2013
KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany
Merlin James
In the Gallery, 2012
Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Merlin James
In the Gallery, 2012
Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Merlin James
In the Gallery, 2012
Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Merlin James
In the Gallery, 2012
Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Merlin James
In the Gallery, 2012
Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Merlin James
Long Game, 2018
OCT Boxes Art Museum, China; OCT Art & Design Gallery, Shenzhen, China
Merlin James
Long Game, 2016
CCA, Glasgow, Scotland
Merlin James
Freestyle, 2014
Kunstverein Freiberg, Germany
Merlin James
Merlin James, 2013
Parasol Unit, London, UK
Merlin James
Signal Box, 2013
KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Germany
Merlin James
In the Gallery, 2012
Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Merlin James at The Philadelphia Art Alliance at University of the Arts.
Merlin James will have a dedicated room of paintings in the survey of contemporary painting, ‘Mixing It Up: Painting Today' at the Hayward Gallery, London.