James McQueen

McQueen’s work is a lifelong tribute to his grandfather, whose extensive collection of mid-20th century paperbacks first sparked the artist’s imagination. For McQueen, Penguin Books represent the democratisation of the written word. Founded in 1935, the company’s mission was to produce books at a low cost, enabling them to be widely accessible to all, making them an icon of familiarity and nostalgia for many.

McQueen is interested in old books as tactile objects. He remains fascinated in the previous life they have lived and the traces that they carry, saying ‘everyone who owns it has put their little stamp on it, like a tea mark, pencil scribbles, or folded page corners.’ Recreating these covers on a large scale, he transforms inexpensive, mass-produced objects into singular pieces of fine art which celebrate the history of reading.

McQueen’s technique is labour-intensive, involving the repetitive practice of building up many layers of paint, then sanding them back to recreate a sense of authentic ‘wear’ and 'tear’. This reductive process reveals glimpses of colour which were previously hidden beneath the surface. McQueen’s recent works have seen his process evolve towards paintings with enhanced colour and depth, creating more dynamic layers than he has previously achieved, with surfaces that carry more visible traces of their making.

In taking inspiration from a commercial product and elevating a work of graphic design to the level of ‘fine art’, McQueen continues the legacy of Pop art, most notably, Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans. His recent work marks a shift towards a more direct engagement with a broad range of Pop and contemporary artists that he admires, including Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Yayoi Kusama, Banksy, Damien Hirst, Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana and Takashi Murakami. Incorporating motifs from these artists’ visual language into the framework of his own vintage book covers, he begins a dialogue with the masters of 20th and 21st century art.

McQueen’s phrases are often unapologetic in their suggestion, ranging from the cynical to the poignant. His work captures a unique brand of humour, mixing defiance, self-deprecation and irony. Explaining the range of emotions that his paintings are intended to elicit, McQueen says, ‘My tone is frequently provocative, comic and cynical. Often, they are meant to be taken lightly, however, others have a more serious point to make.’ Several of McQueen’s recent paintings delve deeper into vulnerability, examining themes of love and hope, proving that behind the sharp satire and wit, lies a sincerity and belief in human connection and authenticity.

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