JAMES WATKINS

Born in Oxford, at an early age James Watkins emigrated to Auckland, New Zealand. In his late teens, he committed to his interest in photography and writing before travelling New Zealand and living in the rural communities of Golden Bay and Great Barrier Island. During this time he won first prize at the Golden Bay Art Awards and held his first solo exhibition.

He then relocated to Australia where he spent six years between Melbourne & Sydney. Here, he immersed himself in the contemporary art world– exhibiting work whilst working as an Editor-in-Chief and arts journalist. The result of this trajectory was the development of his own mixed media practice focusing on self-analysis, abstract forms and experimental mark marking.

After leaving Australia, he lived in the UK and Istanbul before spending a year in Paris where he expanded his practice onto the streets, establishing himself as a member of the street art community. In 2019 he held his first solo painting exhibition ‘Somewhere Between’ at Three Colt Gallery in London, following up with another painting solo in 2021 ‘Jewels for Everyone’ at Nam House in London.

In 2021, James moved to Mexico City and held his third painting solo in 2023 at Casa Astronoma, curated by Ambar Quijano. In Mexico, he deepened his commitment to his painting practice that celebrates unpredictable processes and mixed materiality to create ecosystems of chance and creative abundance. In an ongoing conversation with the natural world and the creativity inherent in life, his work seeks to close the divide between himself and nature, exploring the freedom and beauty of creativity through both subconscious and conscious movements, resulting in energetic works of invitation and appreciation.