Merlin James, *Between the House and the Studio*, 2019, acrylic and mixed materials

“The painter Merlin James (b.1960, Cardiff, UK) shifts fluently between different modes, from landscape, interior, and still life to figuration and abstraction. He is also a prolific writer on art, contributing to many publications, notably the Burlington Magazine. When I first encountered his paintings, I was struck by their ability to engage earnestly with the history of the art form while also pressing ahead. In his varied constructions and shifting surfaces, James considers each part of the canvas, including the stretcher, substrate, and framing device as fundamental elements of painting’s language.”

— Louis Block

To read “Merlin James with Louis Block,” in The Brooklyn Rail, click here.