James Little: SS17 (foliage – colour), paraffin wax, UV cured print, 120 x 80cm, 2016.
“James Little’s practice oscillates between digital and physical formats, exploring the changing discrepancies between them. Achieved primarily through Instagram, the digital format of his practice involves editing his artworks into existing gallery images, hijacking the gallery’s reputation and context. The viewer – accustomed to limited and controlled visual critique from looking at art on a smartphone screen – projects context, scale, presence and materiality onto the work, as well as an affect of quality via the amount of likes and followers an account has. The intention is to comment on these conventions, and critique the impacts upon both contemporary artists and audiences. The physical format of his practice deals with representation, with an underlying image that is interfered with by a coating of paraffin wax glazed over the top of it. It serves to obscure the image and create a sense of hesitation of whether it is a masking or additive element.”
This work by James Little features in RUNNING INTERFERENCE (curated by Kent Wilson) at Rubicon ARI until November 26th.
