Artists Registry
DORDOGNE VALLEY France
View
Artist's Statement
Statement of Work
« My 9/11 PICTORIAL MONUMENT made of 16 paintings is my tribute as an artist, painter and architect, to all the victims, to the rescuers, to the loss of this architectural heritage, to New York City. » James Arax
20 years later, James Arax wants to share his « 9/11 PICTORIAL MONUMENT »
https://www.instagram.com/james_arax/
From September to November 2001, after the destruction of lives and the Twin towers in New York City, James Arax could hardly do anything else than paint to express his grief. James produced 16 paintings about Manhattan attack. He thought this series of paintings as his « 9/11 PICTORIAL MONUMENT » to register this tragic and historical event. He used materials in reference to fire: charcoal and ashes from his own wood-burning stove, and liquid wax from candles.
List of the 16 artworks composing his « 9/11 pictorial monument » - 4 large size paintings (147X114cm) as 4 chapters of the event and 12 medium:
Manhattan Attack - Impact - Day of Terror - Mourning veil - Collapse-ground zero - Ground zero 1 - Ground zero 2 - Good bye rescuers 1 - Good bye rescuers 2 - The ashes cloud over NYC - Sword of Liberty - Sword of Liberty 2 - Twin lines 1 - Twin lines 2 - Light of Liberty 1 - Light of Liberty 2
«Painting is not made to decorate the apartments; it is an offensive and defensive weapon against the enemy» Pablo Picasso written about his painting Guernica
Resume
Resume
James ARAX, born JULY 4, 1965
James Arax is a French painter and architect. He works in Paris, London, Barcelona and Dordogne Valley where he creates big size paintings.
A painter, since he is 5 years old, thanks to his grand father in Cannes who offered him a color box. James used to follow him in the footsteps of Picasso & Cézanne in Provence. Very soon he was attracted by architecture, paintings and poesy. His envy of painting became an obsession and finally a profession.
In his early years, he painted a lot, attending the French Beaux Arts Academy, very impressed by American expressionism, Austrian action painting and contemporary Spanish painters as he studied in Toledo for his architecture diploma. In 1989, he wins the award « Les étoiles de la peinture » under the patronage of Accor group and an exhibition in Espace Maeght Montrouge. At that time, one of his early paintings was exhibited and sold just next to Jean Cocteau at the Salon d’Automne in the Grand Palais of Paris.
He studied classic architecture especially in France & Italy and he became an architect D.P.L.G. in France. He worked as an architect during 10 years in famous studios in Paris such as Agence Ripault: museum MacVal - musée d'Art contemporain du Val-de-Marne. He obtained a post-graduate DEA in Landscape & architecture (EHESS Paris - PSL1997-1998), under the direction of Alain Roger, student of the philosopher Gilles Deleuze. He self-studied Chinese old master paintings and practice Tai chi chuan.
In 2001, he decided to paint full time. As comfortable on canvas or paper, he explores all techniques and all mediums, looking for fluidity and freedom and finally invents his « flowing technique ». His favorite themes are bodies, landscapes imagined or painted He exhibits his artworks in Paris at Galerie Akié Arrichi and Secret Art Gallery, in New York, at DFN gallery - Izzy Bar gallery and in Austria at Basis Wien. Solo or group exhibitions like the one with the Gérard Garouste represented by Galerie Templon. In 2004-05, he creates live performances as «Presence painting live» at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, installation-event as «Tempête 99» at the Parc & Château de Sédières about the forest and the climate emergency.
In 2007, he develops the Secret Art Gallery, in Paris-le Marais, an alternative Art gallery with monthly appointments «Art and Wine». He presents his work and other artists to his collectors in Paris, London, Frankfurt and Saint Emilion where the gallery’s Summer Party takes place.
In 2016, he invents an AR application to watch different his paintings. He becomes the Ceo and Artistic director of the startup Hypview that creates AR and MR experience designs for Art and Luxury.
He is currently working on a series of large non-figurative paintings « The Cities of Arax » inspired by the imagery of the European Middle Age.
He wishes to paint an XXL painting of 9/11 with charcoal and ashes to close this series.
Contact: james.arax@gmail.com