James Springall is a British artist known for his photomontage, collage and appropriation art. By reusing and recontextualising found imagery, he is resuscitating it, bringing it back to life in alternative forms to create new meanings. Playing with humour and tragedy in equal measure to evoke a visual world at odds with digital age consumer culture, his analog compositions prod the status quo whilst using satire as a vehicle to make social commentary.
Springall’s work has been shown in group exhibitions across Europe, including London Original Print Fair (Royal Academy of Arts), 50 x 50 II (Saatchi Gallery), Jealous Needs You (Jealous Gallery), AOAP (Towner Gallery), The Age of Collage 2 (Feinkunst Krüger) and LESS (Viborg). Published in The Age of Collage 3 (Gestalten), it has been featured by publications including AnOther, AnOther, Elephant, Collé and Huck, and commissioned by brands including Rough Trade, Noble Rot and VICE. He has curated exhibitions of contemporary collage for Jealous Gallery, London and Viborg Museum, Denmark. He lives and works near Rye, East Sussex.
talktomeathead@gmail.com
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“James Springall uses collage to make perfect pop art.” - Gestalten
“Collages known for their punchy, provocative aesthetic.” - Huck Magazine
“Weird and wonderful paper pastiches... a dose of optimism that even the most cynically minded would struggle to remain impervious to. With just the right balance of playful, lighthearted spirit and mystique... the images radiate irreverence.” - AnOther Magazine
“Small, seductive works that nod toward Dada and Surrealism. He’s a minimalist, often creating compositions comprised entirely of just two pieces of aged paper. These simple gestures take on complex meanings, a social commentary speaking to pop-culture and personal identity.” - Collé
“An early pre-punk punk, in response to an onlooker spewing the remark, “nice costume” said “at least I know I’m wearing a costume.” We’ve always liked this notion as it cuts to the heart of most people’s spurious belief about originality and ownership. And we find it perfectly relevant to James Springall’s elegant use of appropriated images - also proving Springall knows exactly what art always actually is.” - Cargo
“Collages known for their punchy, provocative aesthetic.” - Huck Magazine
“Weird and wonderful paper pastiches... a dose of optimism that even the most cynically minded would struggle to remain impervious to. With just the right balance of playful, lighthearted spirit and mystique... the images radiate irreverence.” - AnOther Magazine
“Small, seductive works that nod toward Dada and Surrealism. He’s a minimalist, often creating compositions comprised entirely of just two pieces of aged paper. These simple gestures take on complex meanings, a social commentary speaking to pop-culture and personal identity.” - Collé
“An early pre-punk punk, in response to an onlooker spewing the remark, “nice costume” said “at least I know I’m wearing a costume.” We’ve always liked this notion as it cuts to the heart of most people’s spurious belief about originality and ownership. And we find it perfectly relevant to James Springall’s elegant use of appropriated images - also proving Springall knows exactly what art always actually is.” - Cargo