James McQueen

Weaving tales with his characteristic colour and form, McQueen captures one thematic narrative in a single image, whilst enticing viewers to imagine the individual stories behind it. Much like a short story, these artworks have a unique sense of focus which establishes an immediate and amplified immersion. They spark curiosity, stimulate memories and induce a moment of autobiographical reflection.

James' almost photorealist book covers combine a range of genres, from Pop Art to graffiti. Techniques and styles have been meticulously shelved: his ethereal edges have been likened to those of the American abstract painter Mark Rothko, while he also emulates the honesty and boldness of Tracey Emin, Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Francis Bacon. James says: "I enjoy artists that are a little 'out there'. With everything I do in life, I want to challenge the norm. I want reactions. What’s art about if it doesn’t evoke an emotion or reaction of some kind?"

Books are a recurring theme in art, from the19th-century Japanese artist Ryūryūkyo Shinsai's beautifully detailed woodcuts, to the action-packed literary scenes of the American illustrator Norman Rockwell. The latter's ‘Boy Reading Adventure Story’ (1923) illustration is now in the private collection of the Star Wars creator George Lucas.

Other artists to have painted books include Vincent van Gogh, André Martins De Barros and Henri Matisse. Some of the world's most famous artists have also dipped their nib in the book cover genre; as a young artist in the 1950s, Andy Warhol designed book covers for publishers such as Simon & Schuster and Doubleday, with these eventually being printed using similar techniques to those that would make him famous in New York in the 1960s. Contemporary artists to have replicated or taken inspiration from classic book covers include Simon Morley, Richard Baker and Duncan Hannah.

Cutting-edge artist James McQueen brings us his new Special Edition collection which takes on key elements of life with his usual biting wit and homage to vintage paperbacks.

Four new pieces from enigmatic artist James McQueen see him take on life and love in his usual striking and provocative manner, with his trademark style based on his love of well-worn vintage paperback books. His sensitive respect for these books has a stark and comical contrast to the bold and provocative titles that feature on these new limited edition artworks.

James McQueen’s, now sold out, 2023 collection takes a look beyond the world of books to the one of the people who read them, in a duo of limited editions showing their spines. As we all know, there’s no better way to find out about someone’s personality than by looking at their bookshelves; “To know a man’s library is, in some measure, to know a man’s mind,” said Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Geraldine Brooks.

Titled Anthology - a collection of artistic works that have a similar form or subject, often those considered to be the best – in this first of its kind release, the mysterious artist features some of his most popular titles in a way never seen before. The hand-signed polychromatic limited edition encompasses the most iconic, satirical and utterly funny titles of previous works in an iconic line-up of book spines

Like thumbing through a well-loved book, James' art evokes nostalgia. "I think I’ve always been fascinated by books – especially old books," he says. "I want to create that wear and tear, that authenticity. By removing the paint with a sander, I am recreating the feeling of old books from a vintage bookshop. The exposure of these layers represents the history and journey of the artwork, just as a used book will have its own story."

He adds: "I’m interested in the way that books age; if you’ve got a stack of books on a shelf, the daylight will create incredible effects, making each cover fade into a spectrum of different colours. A book that has been passed down has had a life. Where has it been? Where has it travelled? Everyone who owns it has put their little stamp on it, like a tea mark, pencil scribbles, or folded page corners."

The hand-stencilled fonts – a wry mixture of cursive and sans serif – hark back to when book covers were pieced together by hand, and each is chosen to reflect the feeling of the selected quote. These range from humorous to cautionary; James flits from the tongue-in-cheek ‘Happiness Is Expensive’ to the darker 'Be Careful What You Wish For', which appears in Aesop's Fables and W.W. Jacobs' 1902 horror story, 'The Monkey's Paw'. James says: "Some quotes are fun and light to make you smile; others are grey and dark. They show life’s rich tapestry. My collectors choose these pieces because the quote resonates with them. It’s something they can look at every day, as if it is a book on their shelf."

The sold out limited-edition graphics are based on the artist’s iconic titles 'It Is What It Is' and 'No Risk No Story'. The pieces convey what McQueen describes as ‘that authenticity’ of worn-out, vintage books which have been much read and loved, showing signs of wear – faded colours and tattered edges: ‘Everyone who owns it has put their little stamp on it, like a tea mark, pencil scribbles, or folded page corners,’ says McQueen.

James McQueen brings four new limited edition prints from his witty Non Fiction collection to Castle Fine Art. The private, provocative artist continues to produce his work inspired by classic paperback covers, emblazoned with sometimes outrageous, sometimes thoughtful, titles.

Framed and mounted in angled, charcoal pine and spruce, the bold colour palette of the artworks reflects its satirical quote; subverting the vintage aesthetic of a historical book. The elegant and poignant text thus completes this bold modern artwork also replete with contemporary art influences, from Rothko to Tracey Emin. 

Provocative and private artist James McQueen’s hugely popular Non-Fiction collection is back with its third instalment, featuring two limited-edition mixed media artworks recreating the nostalgia of vintage paperback books but with the addition of Pop Art and graffiti-influenced elements with the addition of edgy slogans.

Uniting book-lovers, art collectors and ardent readers, the sell-out debut Non-Fiction collection from James McQueen was a huge hit with our collectors. The infamously private painter recreates the nostalgia of vintage books through his mixed media artworks, with the subversive titles and graffiti elements giving his Pop Art inspired paintings a contemporary aesthetic.

Blowing up an object that you can hold in the palm of your hand into something that you can hang on your wall has been a lifelong fascination for the artist, who credits his grandfather for his passion for books. Viewed up close, his large-scale limited edition prints have an effect not dissimilar to the giant playing cards in Lewis Carroll’s 1895 novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The supercharged Pop Art colours have been replicated in exquisite detail by our specialist atelier team, who have captured the worn texture of James’ original paintings through the fine art silkscreen process.

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