Russh Magazine

Meet British artist James Hopkins, he uses words like ‘epistemological’, is inspired by cemeteries and Vanitas – a 17th century Dutch art movement, which involves sneaking symbolically loaded objects of death or ageing (such as skulls or decaying fruit) into his still-lifes. Intrigued?

So James, what are you best known for? 
Optically adapting objects, imagery and text in order to create sculptural interventions, which momentarily knock the viewer’s perception off-kilter. 

Put simply?
There is often a central theme which is based on the role of judgment in connection to the process of vision.

What always draws your eye?
I am interested in objects and scenarios that deceive the eye and think a successful work of art allows the viewer to look at the world in a different way.

How did you come up with the skull shelves?
My inspiration for these works was the movement of Vanitas painting. I really liked the objects they would depict, what the objects were saying metaphorically and how these items would be juxtaposed with a skull. I read this genre of still-life painting as being a celebration of life and wanted to convey that in my own work, but in a more contemporary manner.

How do you begin each arrangement?
I start by filling the shelves with familiar items, which carry specific connotations. I use books or computers to convey a sense of knowledge, bottles of alcohol and instruments to refer to indulgence, mirrors and other consumable items to suggest vanity. I cut into, peel back and remove the surface of these objects to reveal the image of the skull, acting as a memento mori of the fact that one day we will lose life and all our earthly possessions.

From wooden doors to pianos - what’s your favourite medium to work with?
The usage of perspective illusion. This is often incorporated into how we perceive the purpose and readings of objects and hints at an epistemological uprooting that follows from the discovery that sight, our most relied-upon sense when looking at art, can be untrustworthy.

You love a challenge, going so far as to defy gravity. What’s to be tamed next?
I am currently working on a new body of work, which primarily plays with letters and words, which have been sculpted in order to switch meaning when looked at in the reflection of a mirror.

www.jameshopkins.com

Meet British artist James Hopkins, he uses words like ‘epistemological’, is inspired by cemeteries and Vanitas – a 17th century Dutch art movement, which involves sneaking symbolically loaded objects of death or ageing (such as skulls or decaying fruit) into his still-lifes. Intrigued?

So James, what are you best known for? 
Optically adapting objects, imagery and text in order to create sculptural interventions, which momentarily knock the viewer’s perception off-kilter. 

Put simply?
There is often a central theme which is based on the role of judgment in connection to the process of vision.

What always draws your eye?
I am interested in objects and scenarios that deceive the eye and think a successful work of art allows the viewer to look at the world in a different way.

How did you come up with the skull shelves?
My inspiration for these works was the movement of Vanitas painting. I really liked the objects they would depict, what the objects were saying metaphorically and how these items would be juxtaposed with a skull. I read this genre of still-life painting as being a celebration of life and wanted to convey that in my own work, but in a more contemporary manner.

How do you begin each arrangement?
I start by filling the shelves with familiar items, which carry specific connotations. I use books or computers to convey a sense of knowledge, bottles of alcohol and instruments to refer to indulgence, mirrors and other consumable items to suggest vanity. I cut into, peel back and remove the surface of these objects to reveal the image of the skull, acting as a memento mori of the fact that one day we will lose life and all our earthly possessions.

From wooden doors to pianos - what’s your favourite medium to work with?
The usage of perspective illusion. This is often incorporated into how we perceive the purpose and readings of objects and hints at an epistemological uprooting that follows from the discovery that sight, our most relied-upon sense when looking at art, can be untrustworthy.

You love a challenge, going so far as to defy gravity. What’s to be tamed next?
I am currently working on a new body of work, which primarily plays with letters and words, which have been sculpted in order to switch meaning when looked at in the reflection of a mirror.

www.jameshopkins.com

Meet British artist James Hopkins, he uses words like ‘epistemological’, is inspired by cemeteries and Vanitas – a 17th century Dutch art movement, which involves sneaking symbolically loaded objects of death or ageing (such as skulls or decaying fruit) into his still-lifes. Intrigued?

So James, what are you best known for? 
Optically adapting objects, imagery and text in order to create sculptural interventions, which momentarily knock the viewer’s perception off-kilter. 

Put simply?
There is often a central theme which is based on the role of judgment in connection to the process of vision.

What always draws your eye?
I am interested in objects and scenarios that deceive the eye and think a successful work of art allows the viewer to look at the world in a different way.

How did you come up with the skull shelves?
My inspiration for these works was the movement of Vanitas painting. I really liked the objects they would depict, what the objects were saying metaphorically and how these items would be juxtaposed with a skull. I read this genre of still-life painting as being a celebration of life and wanted to convey that in my own work, but in a more contemporary manner.

How do you begin each arrangement?
I start by filling the shelves with familiar items, which carry specific connotations. I use books or computers to convey a sense of knowledge, bottles of alcohol and instruments to refer to indulgence, mirrors and other consumable items to suggest vanity. I cut into, peel back and remove the surface of these objects to reveal the image of the skull, acting as a memento mori of the fact that one day we will lose life and all our earthly possessions.

From wooden doors to pianos - what’s your favourite medium to work with?
The usage of perspective illusion. This is often incorporated into how we perceive the purpose and readings of objects and hints at an epistemological uprooting that follows from the discovery that sight, our most relied-upon sense when looking at art, can be untrustworthy.

You love a challenge, going so far as to defy gravity. What’s to be tamed next?
I am currently working on a new body of work, which primarily plays with letters and words, which have been sculpted in order to switch meaning when looked at in the reflection of a mirror.

www.jameshopkins.com

Meet British artist James Hopkins, he uses words like ‘epistemological’, is inspired by cemeteries and Vanitas – a 17th century Dutch art movement, which involves sneaking symbolically loaded objects of death or ageing (such as skulls or decaying fruit) into his still-lifes. Intrigued?

So James, what are you best known for? 
Optically adapting objects, imagery and text in order to create sculptural interventions, which momentarily knock the viewer’s perception off-kilter. 

Put simply?
There is often a central theme which is based on the role of judgment in connection to the process of vision.

What always draws your eye?
I am interested in objects and scenarios that deceive the eye and think a successful work of art allows the viewer to look at the world in a different way.

How did you come up with the skull shelves?
My inspiration for these works was the movement of Vanitas painting. I really liked the objects they would depict, what the objects were saying metaphorically and how these items would be juxtaposed with a skull. I read this genre of still-life painting as being a celebration of life and wanted to convey that in my own work, but in a more contemporary manner.

How do you begin each arrangement?
I start by filling the shelves with familiar items, which carry specific connotations. I use books or computers to convey a sense of knowledge, bottles of alcohol and instruments to refer to indulgence, mirrors and other consumable items to suggest vanity. I cut into, peel back and remove the surface of these objects to reveal the image of the skull, acting as a memento mori of the fact that one day we will lose life and all our earthly possessions.

From wooden doors to pianos - what’s your favourite medium to work with?
The usage of perspective illusion. This is often incorporated into how we perceive the purpose and readings of objects and hints at an epistemological uprooting that follows from the discovery that sight, our most relied-upon sense when looking at art, can be untrustworthy.

You love a challenge, going so far as to defy gravity. What’s to be tamed next?
I am currently working on a new body of work, which primarily plays with letters and words, which have been sculpted in order to switch meaning when looked at in the reflection of a mirror.

www.jameshopkins.com