James Irwin is an artist living and working in London. He has a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Newcastle University, and an MFA in Computational Studio Arts from Goldsmith's, University of London. He is a PhD candidate at the Contemporary Art Research Centre, Kingston School of Art, where he is researching the point at which code becomes image. Solo exhibitions include Listening to Xanax, Gossamer Fog, London (2018), Binary Translations, Space In Between, London (2013) and Hopeless Communication, Space In Between (2011). Web projects include You’re in a Computer Game, Max!, skelf.org.uk (2020), SurfaceCollider (23032020), www.annkakultys.com (2020), and Could Ecopsychology cure my Cyberchondria, spaceinbetween.co.uk (2016). Group exhibitions include The Terminal: Human Shaped Whole, Anonymous Gallery, New York (2021), Terms and Conditions May Apply, Annka Kultys Gallery, London (2018), Home Alone, Dateagleart, London (2018) and How the mind comes to be furnished, Space In Between (2016).
He uses synthetic digital sound and image to draw attention to a vitalism inherent within digital media. He assembles new bodies from a combination of digital hardware, software and human wetware, which emerge collectively through the computer screen as the audio-visual output of live code manipulated by user interaction. His work expresses a concern with closeted forms of subjectivity that start and end within the human body. Following a hunch that a form of technological consciousness already exists, he makes kin with the internet, smartphones and computers, amongst other cyborg technologies.
Between 2017 and 2019 he organised and curated a series of web-based exhibitions pairing US and UK artists and writers in an attempt to map a human-centric materiality of the Internet. SuperHumanCorporation: An Exploration of Digital Nature includes newly commissioned art work and writing by Rowena Harris (UK), Nicholas O’Brien (US), Andrew Benson (US), Laura Davidson (UK), Brenna Murphy (US) and Jamie Sutcliffe (UK). The series was hosted by Space In Between and Isthisit?
CV
James Irwin
b. 1980, Lincoln, England.
Lives and works in London, UK
Education
- 2018–Present, PhD in Fine Art Practice, Contemporary Art Research Centre, Kingston School of Art.
- 2008–2010, MFA Computational Studio Arts, Goldsmiths College, London (Distinction).
- 2001–2005, BA (Hons) Fine Art, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (First).
Solo Exhibitions
- 2018, Listening to Xanax, Gossamer Fog, London.
- 2013, The RGB Spectrum, 313 Kingsland Road, Space in Between, London.
- 2013, Binary Translations, Space in Between, London.
- 2011, Hopeless Communication, Space in Between, London.
- 2010, Monument to the Alphabet, Goth on Bus, London.
- 2009, 10, Goth on Bus, London (with Everything is Number).
2 Person Exhibitions
- 2016, How the mind comes to be furnished, Space In Between, London (Collaborative project with Lilah Fowler).
Online Exhibitions
- 2022, surfacecollider, Six Minutes past Nine @ New Art City
- 2022, To Spawn a Door in the Land of Broken Mirrors, New Art City Festival 2022 (online space curated by Nacoca Ko)
- 2022, Elsewhere Node (Notes on Antidepressants), HOAX Publication (https://hoaxpublication.org)
- 2020, SurfaceCollider (23032020) Stay at Home, online exhibition with www.annkakultys.com
- 2019, Jessie Jetpacks, web-based project @ skelf.org.uk (Curated by Jessy Jetpacks).
- 2018, The Edge, web-based project @ skelf.org.uk (Curated by Claire Undy, with text by Laura Davidson).
- 2017, Spread the Virus, web-based project @ dateagleart.com (Curated by dateagleart and Bob Bicknell-Knight).
- 2017, Skelf Art Feast, Digital Partner of the Art Licks Weekend 2017, Art Licks, London.
- 2016, Could Ecopsychology cure my Cyberchondria, online residency with Space In Between, London.
Curatorial Projects
- 2020, You’re in a computer game, Max!, @ skelf.org.uk
- 2019, SuperHumanCorpoation: An Exploration of Digital Nature (Part 3) with Brenna Murphy and Jamie Sutcliffe @ isthisitisthisit.com
- 2017, SuperHumanCorporation: An Exploration of Digital Nature (Part 1) with Rowena Harris and Nicholas O’Brien @ spaceinbetween.co.uk and across the SIB Instagram feed.
- 2017, SuperHumanCorpoation: An Exploration of Digital Nature (Part 2) with Andrew Benson and Laura Davidson @ spaceinbetween.co.uk and across the SIB Instagram feed.
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2021, The Terminal: Human Shaped Whole, Anonymous Gallery, New York. Curated by Jason Isolini with Offsite Project.
- 2019, Swayze Effect, Platform Southwark. (Curated by Agorama).
- 2019, Humdrum, The Store, Dulwich College. (Curated by Bruce Ingram).
- 2018, Terms and Conditions May Apply, Annka Kultys Gallery, London. (Curated by Bob Bicknell-Knight).
- 2018, Home Alone, Dateagleart, London.
- 2017, Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London.
- 2017, ColLive, Space In Between, London (Collaborative project with composer Catherine Cheung and Silk Street Sinfonia).
- 2016, Technonatural, Gossamer Fog, London.
- 2016, This Frontier so Familiar, so Strange, Article, Birmingham.
- 2016, How the mind comes to be furnished, Space In Between, London (Collaborative project with Lilah Fowler).
- 2016, Jumpcut, artists film night at the Averard Hotel, London (Curated by Saturation Point).
- 2015, Generator | Systems, Logic and the Analogue Art of Programming, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sevenoaks (Curated by Saturation Point).
- 2015, Flat Art, William Benington Gallery, London.
- 2015, Dialogues at London Art Fair, Space In Between, London with Grey Area, Paris.
- 2014, Head Grammar (Project LALO), Transition, London and Weekend, Los Angeles.
- 2014, Fabric (curated by Janne Malmros), Oriel Sycharth Gallery, Wrexham.
- 2013, Alter // Shift // Control, Bermondsay Projects, London.
- 2013, Let’s Pluck the Bird, Limoncello, London (with Irwin / Robinson).
- 2013, First@108 Public Art Award, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London.
- 2012, RBS Bursary Award 2012, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London.
- 2012, Joint Ventures, Space In Between, London.
- 2012, Art Licks, ICA, London.
- 2012, System of Objects, Departure Foundation, London.
- 2012, Microcosm, Departure Foundation, Ellington Building, Leeds.
- 2011, Presence Absence, Kingsland Road Studios, London.
- 2010, Grey Area, Centre for Creative Collaboration, London.
- 2010, A Tender Cut, Fold Studios, London.
- 2010, The Middle of Nowhere. Objects and Actions in the Abyss, Departure Gallery, London (with Everything is Number).
- 2010, Goldsmiths MFA, Kinetica Art Fair, P3 Gallery, London.
- 2009, The Fleet Rises, Departure Gallery, London.
- 2007, Wrecking Ball, 2-10 Hertford Road, London.
- 2007, On Growth and Form, Redwire Gallery, Liverpool.
- 2007, On Growth and Form, Permanent Gallery, Brighton.
- 2006, Coals to London, Nolias Gallery, London.
- 2005, Degree Show 05, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle.
Awards
- 2013, First@108 Public Art Award (Finalist), Royal British Society of Sculptors.
- 2012, Royal British Society of Sculptors Bursary Award.
- 2008–2010, Professional Preparation Masters Scheme, Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Residencies
- 2019, Agorama Art and Technology Residency, Raven Row, London.
- 2014, ESXLA, Los Angeles, USA.
Reviews
- February 2018, ‘Gossamer Fog: James Irwin Listening To Xanax', letsmakelotsofmonet.com
- February 2016, ‘Space In Between Presents Collaborative Exhibition by James Irwin and Lilah Fowler : How the Mind Comes to be Furnished’, Widewalls.
- February 2016, ‘How the mind comes to be furnished: James Irwin & Lilah Fowler’, Elephant Magazine.
- 30 January - 5 February 2016, ‘James Irwin & Lilah Fowler’, theguardian guide, p.36.
- June 2013, ‘Binary Translations’ 4* review by Eddy Frankel, Time Out.
- September 2011, ‘Hopeless Communications’ review by whatwherewhen.com.
- June 2011, ‘Presence, Absence’ review by Alex Tieghi-Walker, Aesthetica Blog.
Interviews
- 2016, ‘How the mind comes to be furnished: James Irwin & Lilah Fowler’, Traction Magazine.
- 2015, Interview with Saturation Point's Laura Davidson, saturationpoint.org.uk
General Publications and Exhibition Catalogues
- 2018, Isthisit? Issue 5.
- 2012, RBS Bursary Awards 2012, Exhibition Catalgue (text by Sarah Kent).
- 2012, ‘Autocue’, Art Licks Magazine Issue 7.
- 2010, Kinetica Art Fair 2010 Catalogue, Kinetica.