Artist Talk - James Lake

This week we were lucky enough to have the artist Jame Lake in to provide a workshop creating 3D sculptures of heads from cardboard. He provided bases and materials to start us off, then taught us how to further develop our sculptures.

After seeing James's work in MAKE Southwest's PULP exhibition, I was really excited to take part. We were also shown his newest work, 'Another Day' - a 7-minute film aimed at children and students, showcasing a blend of analog stop motion and computer-generated imagery, touching on mental health themes.

James Lake is a cardboard artist who overcomes the challenges of being disabled and dyslexic. His work includes large-scale portraits, emphasizing the textures created by individual brush strokes and marks. He embraces the concept of creating art without the constraints of budget or space, navigating around traditional barriers to art making.  James is passionate about breaking down barriers in art, often conducting classes for primary school children and individuals with limited access to materials or space.

When building armatures and structures, James may use steel bars, but instead of welding, he opts for more accessible materials, such as cable ties, demonstrating that expensive or conventional materials are unnecessary for creating art.

His first sculpture was created in 1996 for his foundation degree show, with assistance from his father, titled ‘Sitting with Purpose.’ James also undertakes commissions, such as for Hotel Gotham in Manchester, constructing each piece gradually to accommodate his mobility impairment.

One notable project is ‘The Reading Tree,’ an interactive piece with removable parts, designed for people to sit and read under. This piece utilized fencing wire, brown paper bags, and twine for the leaves, with the trunk painted in Libraries Unlimited’s colour palette.

In collaboration with Richard Wilson, he developed ‘The Sprinter’ in 2012, a piece that relates to disability.

For the Lucca Biennale 2018 in Italy, he created a large-scale sculpture that had to withstand outdoor conditions for two months. This sculpture, a self-representation, required tremendous energy and was based on templates drawn around his own body. Despite challenges, such as the theft and subsequent rebuilding of the sculpture, his work was recognized with a lifetime achievement award for the impact of his cardboard sculptures on the world.

James has produced a totem pole for the Exeter Chiefs rugby club and has conveyed through his art that one does not need wealth or extensive space to create. His work at the Exeter Medical School showcases a large-scale anatomical figure focusing on mental health and biological functions rather than traditional anatomy, incorporating medical terminology.

His pieces often contain colored elements, but he aims to highlight the materials used rather than conceal them under the paint. During the 2020 lockdown, he created 'Effects of Lockdown,' addressing COVID-19, technological coping strategies, climate change, and lung health. He emphasizes the importance of taking breaks and returning to work with a refreshed mind, working exclusively with dry materials due to his mobility issues.

Recent works include 'Youth' (2022) and 'Time' (2021), the latter capturing the essence of life and personal history through layered techniques.

'Waters Edge' (2020-2024) reflects on climate change fears, featuring his wife as the model.

Large sculptures maintain the same material integrity as smaller ones, finished with fabric stiffener like Paverpol. James prefers painting on cardboard over canvas, allowing for future collage work. Despite the potential for commercial reproduction, he values the uniqueness of his technique and opts not to outsource, emphasizing the accessibility and versatility of cardboard as a medium for artistic expression.