Sofia Martinez
Canadian-born artist James Verbicky is known for his mixed-media works, which incorporate vintage advertisements, paint, and sculptural elements to create large installations. His Media Paintings are sculptural assemblages of Baltic birch wood covered in vintage advertisements and foreign magazine imagery. Verbicky's works often explore themes of social influence and media overload, with his Citta Samtana series focusing on branding and its attempts to persuade and manipulate through imagery. In addition to his mixed-media works, Verbicky has also explored paint on canvas with his ERA and Bhavanga series, using crystallina and concrete to create heightened textures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | June 20, 1973 |
| Place of Birth | Edmonton, Canada |
| Citizenship | Canadian, US |
| Profession | Artist |
| Genre | Neo-pop, Neo-Baroque |
| Notable Works | Media Paintings, Citta Samtana series, Bhavanga Series, ERA Series, BRAINSCAN series, Peace Portal series, What is Reality |
| Notable Collectors | Developer of the NY World Trade Center and CEO of Aecom, Tisch family, San Diego Museum of Fine Art, Dr. Phil, Calvin Klein, Jon Cryer, Jane Kaczmarek, Frank Sinatra Estate |
| Awards and Exhibitions | Selected for a 110-year-old juried exhibition at the Louvre in 2008, Paris |
| Studio Location | Southern California |
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What You'll Learn
James Verbicky's Media Paintings
James Verbicky is a Canadian-born artist who is renowned for his "media paintings". He lives and works in Southern California with his wife and three children. Verbicky's artworks are often centred around the contemporary world of media and branding and its attempts to persuade, manipulate, and influence people through subtle and suggestive imagery.
The artist is particularly interested in exploring themes of social influence through media. His "media paintings" are large sculptural assemblages of Baltic birch wood covered in vintage advertisements for popular brands and imagery from foreign magazines bought along the Seine in Paris. In his artworks, Verbicky uses acrylic paint, panel, and resin, with some works even employing LEDs. He also incorporates obsolete branding materials, graphics, and advertisements into his works, creating abstract compositions that capture both forgotten and persisting icons of media.
Verbicky's creative process is time-consuming, as he meticulously selects and builds scenes, moving across the panel with paper. He pays close attention to every detail of construction, employing bold colour combinations and smooth compositions that shine under natural light. The artist's works transcend traditional painting and venture into the realm of sculpture, creating three-dimensional surfaces that serve as vessels for communicating about a society oversaturated by media.
In 2014, Verbicky re-examined paint on canvas with the ERA and Bhavanga series, where he transcended the limitations of paper collage by incorporating hand-painted canvas, enamel script, classical imagery, and heightened textures using crystallina and concrete. The artist's works have been exhibited internationally, including in Paris, Berlin, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. His pieces are collected by celebrities and notable private collections, reflecting his impact on the art world.
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Citta Samtana series
In 2010, Canadian-born, California-based artist James Verbicky introduced a new style of art with his "Citta Samtana" series. The title is derived from Sanskrit, loosely translating to "mental continuum" or "mindstream". The series revolves around the themes of media and branding, exploring how they attempt to influence, manipulate, and coerce viewers through subtle and suggestive imagery.
Verbicky's "Citta Samtana" series is characterised by three-dimensional surfaces that transcend traditional painting and enter the realm of sculpture. He achieves this by incorporating vintage media, graphics, advertisements, and obsolete branding materials into his work. The artist utilises acrylic paint, panels, and resin, with some pieces even incorporating LEDs. His unique approach to art challenges the boundaries of traditional painting, creating sculptural assemblages that stand out in the world of art.
The "Citta Samtana" series serves as a commentary on the constant influence of media in our lives. Verbicky's work captures both forgotten and enduring icons of media, inviting viewers to reflect on the pervasive nature of media influence. Through his bold colour combinations and smooth compositions, Verbicky creates pieces that come alive under natural light, captivating viewers and drawing them into his "mental continuum".
The series showcases Verbicky's meticulous attention to detail and his ability to create immersive experiences. His works are often described as "neo-baroque", reflecting the complex and opulent nature of his compositions. Verbicky's background as a DJ also influences his art, evident in the overlapping and intersecting visual "tracks" that construct his intricate image structures. The "Citta Samtana" series is a testament to Verbicky's innovative approach to art, challenging the boundaries of traditional media and offering a unique perspective on the world of media and branding.
James Verbicky's "Citta Samtana" series has gained recognition in the art world, with his works exhibited internationally in cities such as Berlin, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and San Diego. Notable private collectors of Verbicky's art include the developer of the New York World Trade Center, the CEO of Aecom, the Tisch family (founders of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU), and the San Diego Museum of Fine Art.
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Bhavanga series
James Verbicky's Bhavanga Series, which he began in 2016, builds on his experience as a DJ and West Coast surf and music culture influences. The series showcases Verbicky's signature style of horizontal bands, hand-painted and stencilled, incorporating the use of crystalina ("diamond dust"), acrylic paint, panel and resin. The artist's works are known for their bold colour combinations and smooth compositions, creating a sense of movement and dynamic clarity.
The Bhavanga Series, like Verbicky's other works, explores the concept of media saturation and its influence on our society. His pieces are often described as "futuristic relics", where words and images collide to create a mosaic-like effect, transcending the traditional two-dimensional canvas. The artist's use of mixed media, including vintage advertisements and obsolete branding materials, adds a sculptural element to his paintings, challenging the boundaries of what a painting can be.
Verbicky's works are a commentary on the information overload of our digital age, where pattern recognition and media persuasion are constant influences on our daily lives. His unique approach to art, combining painting with collage and assemblage techniques, has gained international recognition, with his pieces exhibited in Berlin, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, among other places.
The Bhavanga Series, along with Verbicky's other notable series such as Citta Samtana and Media Paintings, showcases the artist's ability to create immersive experiences that resonate with viewers on a deeper level. By incorporating themes of branding and media, his works serve as a reflection of our neo-baroque culture, where the line between art and reality blurs, and the impact of media manipulation becomes evident.
James Verbicky's Bhavanga Series is a testament to his skill as a neo-pop artist and interpreter of contemporary culture. Through his unique style and thought-provoking subject matter, Verbicky invites viewers to question their relationship with media and the world around them, offering a sensory and intellectual experience that continues to resonate and captivate audiences worldwide.
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BRAINSCAN series
James Verbicky is a Canadian-born artist who is best known for his mixed-media works that utilise old advertisements, paint, and sculptural elements to create large hanging installations. In 2019, Verbicky launched the BRAINSCAN series, which comprises massive abstract artworks that seek to define and interpret the physical organ of the brain while using colour and form to depict the more elusive states of human consciousness. The BRAINSCAN series, which Verbicky refers to as "Alternative Portraiture", offers a glimpse into the inner workings of the mind, exploring the complex interplay between our thoughts, emotions, and the influence of substances on our cognitive processes.
The BRAINSCAN series builds upon Verbicky's interest in the themes of social influence and the impact of media on society. By combining paint with sculptural elements, he creates immersive experiences that engage viewers in a dialogue about the role of media in shaping our perceptions and experiences. This series marks a continuation of Verbicky's exploration of the human condition, following his earlier works such as the ERA and Bhavanga series, which also delved into the complexities of consciousness and the human psyche.
The artworks in the BRAINSCAN series are characterised by their large scale and abstract nature. Verbicky employs bold colour combinations and intricate compositions to represent the intricate networks of the brain. The use of paint allows him to manipulate the size and impact of the content, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the exploration of consciousness. Each piece in the series is a meticulously planned and executed work of art, with Verbicky's attention to detail and dedication to his craft resulting in artworks that are not only visually captivating but also thought-provoking.
Through the BRAINSCAN series, Verbicky invites viewers to consider the multifaceted nature of human consciousness and the intricate ways in which our thoughts and emotions interact. By using colour and form to represent the intangible, he provides a unique perspective on the inner workings of the mind, encouraging a deeper understanding and appreciation of the human experience. The series serves as a reminder that our thoughts and emotions are complex and ever-changing, influenced by a myriad of factors, and that the exploration of consciousness is a fascinating and ongoing journey.
The BRAINSCAN series has been well-received by art enthusiasts and collectors, with Verbicky's works being sought after by private collectors and exhibited internationally. His unique approach to art, combining traditional painting techniques with contemporary themes and elements, has solidified his reputation as a masterful artist of our time. By pushing the boundaries of art and challenging societal norms, Verbicky continues to leave a lasting impact on the art world and inspire future generations of artists.
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Peace Portal series
James Verbicky's Peace Portal series was launched in 2019. The series was inaugurated with the auction of its flagship piece by the Chairman of the Board of the Louvre, Becca Cason Thrash. All the proceeds from the auction went towards the restoration of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, which had suffered severe damage in a fire.
The Polish-Canadian artist Verbicky is known for his "media paintings", which are sculptural assemblages of Baltic birch wood covered in vintage advertisements and imagery from foreign magazines. His work often explores the idea of an "oversaturated" media-dominated society and the ways in which we are constantly influenced by media imagery.
The Peace Portal series continues this exploration, presenting complex, three-dimensional surfaces that merge painting and sculpture. The series utilises vintage media, graphics, advertisements, and obsolete branding materials, along with acrylic paint, panel, and resin. The resulting abstractions capture both forgotten and persistent icons of media, creating a sense of immersive spectacle that characterises our contemporary neo-baroque culture.
Verbicky's works have been exhibited internationally, from Berlin to New York, and are included in prestigious private collections, such as that of the developer of the NY World Trade Center and CEO of Aecom, and the Tisch family, founders of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. His work has also been auctioned by Sotheby's and Christie's and is counted among important public and museum collections worldwide, including the San Diego Museum of Fine Art, CA.
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Frequently asked questions
The plastic in James Verbicky's paintings is likely the resin that the artist uses in his mixed-media works. Verbicky is known for his large sculptural assemblages of Baltic birch wood covered in vintage advertisements and imagery from foreign magazines. He also uses acrylic paint, panel, resin, and LEDs to create his works.
Verbicky's process involves selecting and building scenes by moving across the panel with paper, carefully planning the composition, and hand-painting the original imagery to achieve the desired pigmentation. He describes his work as "time-consuming" and notes that he often has fewer works available than many living artists due to the meticulous nature of his process.
Verbicky's paintings explore the impact of media and branding on society, presenting a critique of the attempts to persuade, manipulate, and coerce through subtle and suggestive imagery. He also draws inspiration from his experiences as a DJ and his West Coast surf and music cultural influences, incorporating overlapping and intersecting visual "tracks" in his compositions.
