As Rumi says, and as James Goldcrown depicts in his love-themed murals around the world, “Love is the bridge between you and everything”. The New York and Los Angeles based artist, who is represented in the Middle East by ArtKōrero. An art consultancy bridging the gap between private venues, brands and the art world, has remarkable collaborations with renowned international brands and companies under his belt, including Moncler, Vogue, and Giorgio Armani to mention a few. Now, he has brought his bleeding hearts to Dubai, and particularly to the walls of the ME hotel. The Kurator sat down with James during his latest visit to the UAE, explored his journey in spreading love, and talked about his ambitions in the region.
How and when did you discover your passion for art?
From a very young age, I was very interested in art. I gravitated to it at school, going as far back as primary school.
What could you express in art that you couldn’t in photography?
Good question. I think I can be more creative with a blank space. With photography you’re working in reality; you can’t manipulate that. Art is more of a blank canvas. You’re creating from a blank space. There’s something magic about that. It’s your own interpretation.
How did street art influence you and contribute to who you have become?
I don’t think street art has influenced me as such. It’s the space around me that I find most inspiring; listening to music on my way to work, people, energy, things around me. Subconsciously seeing things. It’s a group of influences. I can’t put a pin on it…
Banksy has been a big influence.
He changed the course of art and made money from art using social media. He was the first artist in my opinion that was able to make real money from graffiti art.
I have to give him credit for that, and also for his influence in making street art more accepted.
We have witnessed many collaborations between art and fashion over the years; what do you think they have in common?
I think they’re both the same. Most designers would consider themselves artists. When you go to the London College of Fashion or Central Saint Martins, designers are taught the principles of art, learning to sketch, draw, and use color palettes. It’s all the same caliber in my opinion.
What is special about your collaborations and what messages do you send through them?
If the art is for a commercial project, the message is sometimes specific to that purpose. But other times there is; love, unity and hope are all common themes in my work. I’ve done a lot of work in varying creative forms but hearts are my thing.
My new ‘Bleeding Hearts’ series, however, is more negative and sad. It’s about heartbreak. The hearts are complicated, all different and changing color and shape. It explains how we’re all fragile in our own way.
Why love and why hearts?
The heart. Well, it’s a universal symbol of hope, understood by all. It was by chance that I first painted a love heart mural for a friend in New York, and the rest is history.
Do you believe that each artist should have an iconic artwork style that identifies them?
Yes! It’s the only way you can be identified as an artist… drop the mic.
What are you looking to achieve in the region? And what do you think you can add to the art scene?
As an artist, it’s important to expand your market and reach. It’s been amazing to develop in the USA, but there’s so much going on in the Middle East, and when you’re here you don’t think about other places. It’s great to expand your horizons. It’s about growing. You can’t always develop just by being in one place.
Presenting my first solo show at the Foundry Gallery has been incredible. The exhibition titled Colour of Love, features a large body of work that was painted in my studio in LA. It includes new pieces such as my Bleeding Heart series and is on until the end of February.
My artistic residency at the ME Dubai has also been really fun. We were able to transform the lobby of the Zaha Hadid designed hotel into a live painting studio and even did a full takeover of their penthouse suite. The entire room is wrapped in my love hearts for Valentine’s Day.
I don’t know if I can say something’s missing in the art scene here in the Middle East. The narrative here is very specific in style. I see it’s more traditional. Different perceptions than in the USA or Europe. It’s interesting.
It’s kind of cool coming here and not seeing my work anywhere. That’s been exciting and I’m looking forward to coming back.
It’s also great that the Middle East is so welcoming to other cultures. It allows new cultures to show the different sides to this region, like through art.
