INFORMATION FOR CURATORS

James Johnson-Perkins has exhibited in many different galleries and institutions all over the world and his work is extremely diverse and playful. His work has always been popular and in the galleries where he has had solo shows they have always had an increase in public participation. This is because his work is extremely engaging and invites audiences to participate in interesting and unusual INTERMADE activities. E.g. To participate in huge Hula hooping contests or giant Twister events. Also, his GIGATAGE works are extremely large and emersive, and it is not unusual for the audience to spend 20-30 minutes looking at one piece. His VIDEOSTALGIA and PLAXIS works also appeal to people as they address their fond collective memories and love of 80's shared pop aethetics.

Johnson-Perkins' practice is divided into these 4 different areas:

GIGATAGE - GIGAPAN/MONTAGE
These GIGATAGE works are ultra-large scale digital images made with Gigapan technology mixed with montaged elements which are epic landscapes of modern and historical figures in renowned sites and civic squares, including: The Rialto Bridge/Venice, Times Square/New York, Red Square/Moscow, Patan Square in Kathmandu and Brighton Pier.

These works can be viewed in different ways. They can either be printed on Canvas locally or they can be transported to your gallery, or they can also be printed on billboard paper and be placed directly on the walls. They are extremely large works and ideally, they work best full scale (so bear that in mind) e.g. The Great Battle is 7m x 2m. However, they can be printed any size so can also be viewed in smaller spaces and they can also be exhibited digitally on screens.

Image Quality

These GIGATAGE works are ultra-large scale digital images made with Gigapan technology. They are extreemely large and the images on this website are much smaller versions, so they are not an acuarate representation of thier immense quality. You can get a better idea of this from the video below, which shows Johnson-Perkins's recent work REALMS with close up details.

VIDEOSTALGIA - VIDEO/NOSTALGIA

In these VIDEOSTALGIA works, the artist tries to capture the essence of particular times and places, and explores emotions and memories associated with it. By combining film, music, and performance, he creates a multi-sensory experience that transports viewers, whilst also inviting them to reflect on their own experiences and emotions that relate to former retrospective times. These works also aim to shed new light and to offer fresh perspectives and interpretations and represent exciting and innovative way to explore the complex interplay between memory, nostalgia, and cultural ‘POP’ heritage.

Video works can be selected from his collection which you can view HERE.

INTERMADES - INTERACTIVE/READYMADES

INTERMADES are all about Interactivity, which involve using existing games and objects as a starting point and are brought to life using artscores. These artscore’s are a set of instructions that guide an interaction or activity involving the game or object, such as a Giant Twister Game ‘TWIST’ or a mammoth Hula hoop Sculpture ‘HULA’.

These use artscores and are usually collaborative and participatory, and you are invited as a curator to interpret and enact with the instructions. Therefore, there is a sense of shared ownership around these artworks, and as a curator I would like you to create new possibilities and interpret the scores in your own unique way. There is a book of artscores which you can read HERE, but there are also other artscores (some are on t/his website) which you can also enquire about. Note: If you were to show 16 of these it could easily fill an extremely large gallery and conversely you could also show a single work in a very small-interesting room or space as well, if you feel the artscore would work in this manner.

PLAXIS - PLAY/PRAXIS

PLAXIS artworks by Johnson-Perkins utilize a combination of PLAY and PRAXIS. Here he incorporates childhood toys, puzzles, and games, which explore abstraction and nostalgia.

Johnson-Perkins' practice is divided into these 4 different areas and as a curator you are free to seelected elements from all four and investigate interesting connections between artworks in each area.

E.g. There is a GIGATAGE work based in Venice, which could be accompanied by a VIDEOSTALGIA work that is also based here, and in this particular work the artist is doing Robotics, which would therefore be well placed next to his PLAXIS Robot Lego works, also there is an INTERMADE score that invites an audience to try and beat the world record for the most people doing Robotics in one place!

Johnson-Perkins enjoys new ways that his work can be interpreted and wants his relationship with curators or collaborators to be extremely innovative and inventive. As a curator the artist challenges you to pick and choose and make the associations that are significant to you. Please contact the artist here if you would like to work with him on future exhibitions, commissions or events.