Sculptor Anthony James shines light in Opera Gallery’s online viewing room.
In troubled times, art always was a gateway—a path towards solace, contemplation, evasion or even enlightenment. As we enter an era of more hopeful tomorrows, it seems appropriate to illuminate this new dawn with the works of the master of light, Anthony James.
Since the dawn of Classical Art, light has always been an essential element in artistic expression for whoever managed to speak its language. Harnessing its powers allowed artists to develop a visual language beyond compare. Channeling imagination and enabling new aesthetics, light gives artists, such as James, the possibility to sculpt the intangible.
Proudly represented and acclaimed around the world, James recently completed solo exhibitions at Opera Gallery London and Singapore. Fascinating windows opening onto new worlds, his artworks immerse us into a comprehensive, unique visual lexicon. His experimentations have led to a series of works that engages his audience into an infinite dialogue of mirrored precision and plays with the sensory apprehension of its environment. At the crossroads of art, technology and mathematics, the young British-American artist revisits Euclidian geometry, more specifically Platonic solids, a series of three-dimensional polyhedrons. Considered ideal shapes by the Ancient Greeks, they are reborn under the genius hands of the artist, propelled into a futuristic aesthetic of metal and technological light. As contemplation beckons further into the hidden worlds of the artworks, one might be compelled to reflect on cosmic rules, Einsteinian and otherwise. What would it feel like to travel as fast as light, as far as time?
In his more recent works, James questions the reflective properties of materials. His new series REPOSE is a hint to his first installation K.O. (2008) in which he encased his burnt Ferrari 355 Spider with birch, LED and specialized glass. It is also a brilliant work on how bronze repoussé can reflect, diffract, distort and tint light. An excellent way to look back on the evolution of his creativity, and how he honed his skills in the light of his worldwide fame.
For James, 2020 was a bright year, it is when he first entered the museum scene: his 80” Rhombicosidodecahedron is now exhibited alongside works by Anish Kapoor.
On top of its prominent stance on the secondary market of Modern and Contemporary masterpieces, the Opera Gallery global group strives to propel innovative forces of Contemporary Art to new heights, and shine a light on the future of aesthetics. Some of Anthony James’ works can be seen at Opera Gallery Monaco at 1 avenue Henri Dunant. Opening hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm and Sunday, 11 am to 7 pm.