James McGrath
ABOUT
James McGrath, an artist and architect, has dedicated over 25 years to the intersection of traditional art, architecture, and digital media. His career, which began in the 1990s as a studio assistant to the painter Arthur Boyd, transitioned into digital art with his first installation at the Museum of Sydney in 1999. His work, including a notable projection at the Detroit Museum of Art, has been displayed at prominent venues like the J. Paul Getty Museum.
At the core of McGrath’s artistry is a creative fusion of historical imagery, modern digital vocabulary, and traditional art-making techniques. His eclectic sources of inspiration range from the grandeur of 16th-century libraries and theatres to the intricate revelations from contemporary environmental datasets. These diverse influences meld into McGrath’s signature style, a Baroque theatricality that weaves an engaging narrative between epochs, connecting the past and the present in a captivating dance of imagery and context.
His process of creation is deeply collaborative, involving professionals across various fields, including scientists, historians, composers, and entrepreneurs. This interdisciplinary approach has resulted in globally-recognized artwork, featured in over 20 solo exhibitions and commissioned pieces that adorn cities from Taipei to New York.
In the past year, McGrath’s digital artworks have found new homes, notably at LUME, a sprawling 3,000-square-meter immersive venue in Melbourne. Additionally, his pieces have transformed the digital walls of notable locations such as Melbourne’s 80 Collins Street, 180 Lonsdale Street, 385 Bourke Street, and Sydney’s prestigious 1 Martin Place. Currently, McGrath is fully immersed in a comprehensive digital project for the upcoming development at 555 Collins Street, Melbourne.
Through his creations, McGrath masterfully interlaces historical and contemporary elements, crafting a rich, multisensory tapestry that challenges perceptions and prompts thoughtful contemplation.
McGrath’s professional experience shows a dynamic range of artistic expression with an engaged focus on historical imagery, digital media and traditional art making. With over twenty solo exhibitions, James McGrath has, during the past two decades, explored the meeting point between art, architecture, theatre and digital media. Before graduating from The University of New South Wales with Masters in architecture, (first class honours) he worked as a studio assistant to Arthur Boyd for eight months. He has exhibited extensively throughout the world, showing in New York, London, Sydney, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Paris. His work has been commissioned for public and private spaces in Beijing, Majorca, Spain, Tel Aviv, Melbourne, Sydney, London and New York.
EDUCATION
1994 Master of Architecture, First Class Honours (UNSW)
1992-1993 Architectural Association, London
1988 Studio assistant Arthur Boyd (Bundanon )
1987 Studio assistant Patrick Betaudier (Paris)
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS / INSTALLATIONS /SCREENINGS
2024 Olsen Gallery, Sydney Solo show, “The Sphere of Narcissus “
2024 NFSA, Canberra , “Ghost Trees” , immersive digital installation
2023 30X30, Group show, Olsen Gallery, Sydney, (Painting)
2023 Ai digital twin, Group show, Piermarq Sydney (Digital)
2022 -23 The LUME ,”Ghost Trees” 3000 sq m2 immersive gallery , Melbourne(Digital)
2021 LUNA festival of light, art and technology.NewOrleans, USA, “Ghost Trees” screening (Digital)
2021 DLECTRICITY, Detroit Institute of Art, USA, “GhostTrees” screening (Digital)
2021 Paddington Art Prize Finalist (Painting)
2021 KAAF finalist, Sydney (Painting)
2021 Northern Beaches Environmental Art awards, Finalist, Sydney (Digital)
2021 Olsen gallery ,“Luscus” , Solo show, Sydney (Painting & Digital)
2020 Olsen gallery, “Collectivus”, group showSydney (Painting)
2020 1.5 Degrees, group show, Fortyfivedownstairs ,Melbourne (Digital)
2019 Mosman Art Prize People’s Choice award, (Painting)
2019 Mosman Art Prize finalist (Painting)
2018 Mosman Art Prize finalist (Painting)
2018 Olsen gallery, “The flooded Library”, Sydney (Painting)
2016 Olsen gallery, “Ocular/Speculo”, Sydney (Painting)
2015 Cat Street Gallery, “Ocular/Fleur”, Hong Kong (Painting)
2014 Olsen Irwin Gallery ,“Ocular/Fleurs, Sydney (Painting)
2013 Olsen Irwin Gallery ,“Lacuna/ Anamnesis”, Sydney (Painting)
2013 Sydney International Art fair, Olsen Irwin Gallery (Painting)
2012 Maitland Regional Art Gallery , Marnling Press , Group show, (Painting)
2011 Cat Street Gallery, “ex libris”, Hong Kong (Painting)
2011 Olsen gallery, “ex libris”, Sydney (Painting)
2011 Cat Street Gallery,“ex libris”, Hong Kong (Painting)
2010 Artereal Gallery,“Cranium”, Group show, Sydney (Painting)
2009 Sculpture by the Sea, “Ghost Nets”, Tamarama Beach, Sydney (Digital)
2009 “carriageARTworks”, Carriage works , Group show,Sydney (Painting)
2009 Artereal Gallery, “Chiaroscuro”, Group show, Sydney (Digital)
2008″ Recent Work”, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney, Australia (Painting)
2007 Gibsone Jessop Gallery, “Pozzo’s Shadow”, Toronto,Canada (Painting)
2006 Gibsone Jessop Gallery, ” 400 Years” , Toronto,Canada(Painting)
2005 Michael Carr art gallery,”Variations on Baroque Ceilings”, Sydney ( painting )
2004 Nevill Keating Gallery, London ” Vision & Verse”, (Digital & Painting)
2004 MCG Galleries New York, “Baroque Ensembles ”, Solo show (Digital & Painting)
2003 Michael Carr art gallery, “Quadrautura”, Sydney (Digital & Painting)
2002 MCG Galleries New York, “Dutchscapes”, Solo show New York (Digital & Painting)
2001 Michael Carr art gallery,“Infra-red Baroque”, Sydney (Digital & Painting)
2000 J.Paul Getty Museum & Laguna Art Museum, “Baroque and modernity”,
Screening of “theatres of anatomy”, Los Angeles (Digital)
2000 Museum of Sydney “Harbour/Metropolis” Audio Visualinstallation ‘tidal vectors’, Sydney (Digital)
2000 National Digital Art Awards Group Show , QueenslandMuseum of modern Art, Brisbane (Digital)
2000 Michael Carr art gallery “Cusp- a study of folds and flora” solo paintings how, , Sydney
1999 Sydney Film Festival, “theatres of anatomy”,digital animation D.art 99, Twin Academy, Paddington, Sydney
1999 Sculpture by The Sea festival, “CUSP#2”, Sitespecific digital performance, Tamarama Beach, Sydney
1998 Queen Street Fine Art, Sydney, Solo Exhibitions
1996 Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, Solo Exhibition
1995 Queen Street Fine Art, Sydney, Solo Exhibitions
AWARDS
Australian Arts Council new media Commission (Sydney, 1999)
Australian Post Graduate Award (Sydney 1997)
Moya goring Paris Studio residency , Cite des Arts. (Paris, 1996)
National Digital Art Award Queensland (Brisbane, 1998)
Bioloa International Design Award (Sydney, 1990)
Blake Finalist Exhibition (Sydney,2010)
NSW Ministry of Arts Project grant
Sculpture By the Sea Directors Award (for video installation, Sydney ( 2009)
1st Class Honours UNSW, B.Arch. (Sydney 1999)