Art Centre At The Jam Factory
The gallery
JAMES Lomax New times
New Times – a collection of fine art and photographs by the up and coming artist James Lomax, inspired by politics, religion and war
New Times is an exhibition curated by Oxford based Creative Collective, showcasing work by the up and coming young artist James Lomax, which will be hosted in the Jam Factory Gallery.
The exhibition is a collection of recent work including; paintings, sculpture, photography and short films, mainly inspired by his travel to Israel, alongside some older pieces focusing on other conflicts. Lomax toured Israel and the Palestinian Territories; meeting with both Israelis and Palestinians, young and old, in an attempt to gain a true understanding of the political and religious turmoil there.
Lomax explains, “I am intrigued by the way politics and religion influence each other and the exploitation of religion within politics. It is often easy within our society to overlook current religious and political issues and I attempt to focus upon these to provoke thought and interest amongst the viewers.”
This is Lomax’s first solo exhibition, which coincides with the beginning of his Bachelor of Fine Art degree at The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art (Oxford University).
He is delighted to be working with Creative Collective again, after displaying work in the extremely successful group exhibition ‘Eleven’ in February 2010, also at the Jam Factory.
Creative Collective is keen to support local artists under the age of 25 that show enthusiasm, passion and commitment that is reflected within the work they produce. Set up by Rishi Mullett-Sadones in late 2009, Creative Collective’s aim is to offer a platform for young artists (from within the county) to exhibit in professional gallery spaces – giving them an incredible opportunity and an insight to the art world at a very early stage in their career.
About James Lomax:
Originally from Hampshire, Lomax moved to Oxfordshire at the age of 3, growing up in Banbury and later moving to Brackley. He attended Magdalen College School, one of the country’s leading academic schools, where his interest in both art and religion deepened further. Wanting to gain a deeper theological and philosophical understanding of the world, Lomax undertook an A level course in Theology, not realising it would become the founding interest in his artwork. Gaining an A in Theology and Art, Lomax earned a place on one of the leading Art Foundation courses, run by Alison Honour at Oxford Brookes University. Working under practising artist Dr. Myfanwy Johns, Lomax developed his approach of mixing art with politics and religion, moving away from past issues and focusing on present ones.
While only 19 years old, Lomax is already making a name for himself in the art world – in 2008, he was shortlisted for the ‘Oxfordshire Young Artist of the Year’ award, subsequently leading to his work being exhibited at the North Wall Gallery, Oxford, and in 2009 was one of twenty shortlisted entrants in the Saatchi Gallery / Sunday Telegraph International Art Prize for Schools competition. A distinguished panel, made up of Sir Peter Blake, Antony Gormley, Ekow Eshun, Camila Batmanghelidjh, and Andrew Graham-Dixon, judged the international competition and hand picked Lomax’s work from 22,000 entries.
About Creative Collective:
Creative Collective aims to promote innovative, fresh and creative contemporary art by young early-career artists. With the limited opportunities for younger artists in the city Creative Collective intend to curate and produce shows addressing this problem while making audiences of all ages and backgrounds more aware of new talent from the county.
Brian Aldiss Exhibition 16th Aug-29th Sept
BRIAN ALDISS’s first published story appeared in 1954, heralding an internationally sucessful literary career that has produced bestselling contemporary and science fiction novels, short stries, poetry and non-fiction. But along with the words came the pictures, streaming from the other hemisphere of the author’s brain.
To mark Brian Aldiss’s 85th Birthday, the JAM FACTORY presents the first public exhibition of his non-verbal work. As with his writing, Aldiss displays a cunning proficiency with differing media. ‘THE OTHER HEMISPHERE’ illuminates that part of his artistic vision that has until now remained hidden from the public.
Aldiss says he was struck by the beauty of the human brain when he saw his own brain under examination. Of course, there is more complexity to the brain than that contained in the two hemispheres; below them lies the cerebellum, and the nerve connections with the spinal chord.
Higher cognitive functions communicate with lower, and those with inheritors of deep time. Deep time that lurks far beyond our relationship with apes, back to the cynodonts swimming in the Paleo-Tethyis Ocean - creatures emerging from the extinctions of the Permian era, some 280 million years ago.
You can see how long it takes to rear an artist - or an English football player...
To venture down these cranial connections is to plunge back in time. Why should we want to do so? Because we are finite, and so we long for the infinite. Aldiss’ writings and artwork make at least a small gesture towards the infinite, and to what remains inarticulate.
Just as apples originated from Kazakhstan in Central Asia, so what was to become part of us had its first stirrings in that mythic imagined sea.
[DNA proves that all apples originated in what is now Kazakstan, where the Mongols first broke and rode the horse.]
CReative Groups
Want to hold regular gatherings for a creative group? Contact us and we'll see how we can help.
Knitting Group | Meet every Tuesday at 6pm to 7:30pm (although it often goes on for longer). All levels and experience are welcome, even beginners. For further information, please contact Sarah Bradley on sa.bradley@hotmail.co.uk.