Artist Statement
James R Ford is a British artist whose practice explores notions of repetition, pathos and idiocy; delving into the activities and influences of his childhood. His body of work consists of process based projects and investigations: ranging from inventing a new home based sport, to covering a Ford Capri in over 4,000 toy cars, to spending countless hours scribbling loops.
Ford's practice is idea driven and his resulting works take many forms. In 2002, with collaborator Spencer Harrison, he created a faux fitness regime called House Gymnastics. The project started as a website, developed a cult following, and became an internationally published book. In 2006 Ford co-curated the Kitson Kaleidoscope event with Mark McGowan: a two hour set of performances beamed live on the internet from Ford's bedroom in London. Participating artists included Sally O'Reilly, Russell Herron, Sarah Doyle and Brian Catling.
In 2008 Ford exhibited a solo show of his work at Ferreira Projects, London, entitled Duchamp played Chess; I made Cranes in reference to Marcel Duchamp's (supposed) abandonment of art for chess and Ford's decision to dedicate his time to folding Origami cranes to the near exclusion of all other activity. Ford's follow up show in 2009, Only Boring People Get Bored, was an existentialist outing via reworked puzzles, games and by-products of boredom. The installation 33 Things To Do Before You Are 10 was shown as the result of his gallery residency as well as forming an integral part of the exhibition.
CV & Education
Qualifications and training
2005 - Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art, Goldsmiths College, London
2002 - BA Fine Art, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham
1999 - Foundation Diploma in Art & Design, Winchester School of Art, Winchester
Solo exhibitions
2011 - Air of the Irrational, Wapping Project, London, UK
2011 - Zero Expectations, Peloton Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2010 - Smash N Tag, Taranaki Street, Wellington, NZ
2009 - Only Boring People Get Bored, FERREIRA PROJECTS, Shoreditch, London
2009 - Too Orangey For Crows, Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington, NZ
2008 - Duchamp played Chess; I made Cranes, FERREIRA PROJECTS, Shoreditch, London
Group exhibitions
2011 - Airline, ABC Gallery, Christchurch, NZ
2011 - Bold Horizon National Contemporary Art Award 2011, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, NZ
2011 - Recent Acquisitions: Part II, TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre, Auckland, NZ
2010 - At Play 2, South Hill Park, Bracknell, UK
2010 - Geometry Is Never Wrong, W+K, London, UK
2010 - Spreading Blankets on the Beach, JJ Morgan & Co, Wellington, NZ
2009 - Encounters with Scale, Portman Gallery, London, UK
2009 - Group, Antoinette Godkin Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2008 - Irregular Pulse, FERREIRA PROJECTS, London, UK
2007 - 4C: SightSeeing Tour, GUM Factory, Saatchi & Saatchi, London
2007 - Driven, Fieldgate Gallery, Whitechapel, London
2007 - Extreme Crafts, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
Competitions, prizes and awards
2005 - AHRC Postgraduate Award, AHRC, London
2003 - Winner - Net Art Category, Third Place Gallery / Playstation2, Sweden & London
Publications
2011 - Zero Expectations
2008 - Duchamp Played Chess; I Made Cranes
2004 - House Gymnastics
