James Metsoja

Through a forthright approach to materials and the use of mixed media, my paintings inhabit a naturally strange and elusive world that questions ideas of visual perception, scale and existential thoughts regarding the potentiality of the atmosphere we inhabit. Near ritualistic notational drawing of the detritus left by the Thames at low tide give my predilection for this kind of abject subject matter, and its relationship to the materiality of the image, a constant presence in my work.

A process of thought using experimental model building and collage, as well as Buster Keaton films, Beckett and slapstick comedy, factor in my work and it is here where ideas of colour and emotional pitch are planted. By using the detritus found in my studio, a personal collection of dust balls and discarded material, I approach my painting and its subject matter with a mix of humour and reverence.