James Whitington
Artist Bio
Born in 1951, James Whitington began his art practice at the age of twenty seven when he began as an apprentice at Miller St Workshop. Later he became a master printmaker working with many iconic Australian painters including Arthur and David Boyd, John Peart, Brett Whitely and Charles Blackman. This was the basis for his development as a painter.
James had his first solo exhibitions of paintings and monotypes – “The Chair” In 1989 And “The Tree” In 1990 at the Blaxland Gallery in Sydney.
“The Chair” was reviewed by Chris Allen for the Sydney Morning Herald. He has also had solo exhibitions Orange and Cessnock Regional, public galleries, and Brenda May and Klei, private galleries in Sydney.
He has been curated in group exhibitions in New England, Grafton and Tamworth Regional public galleries and Wagga Wagga Charles Sturt University.
In 2008, he was included in “Mono Uno” as survey of Australian monotype from 1898 to 2008, curated by Professor Tom Middlemost.
In 2011, he attended a Redgate Residency in Beijing and exhibited work in Ferujin at NOVA gallery. In 2016 a residency in Cairns and inclusion in the international bi-annual “Inkmasters” Exhibition.
In 2018 he held an exhibition of work present and past titled, "Retroactive" at the Cessnock Regional Gallery.
Artist Statement
INCARCERATION: Most people who enjoy life find meaning subjectively through the active rhythm of mental and physical work. They have the freedom to occupy themselves with the tools and environment where they can create and share their contribution with others. Incarceration is the greatest punishment because it eliminates all possibilities of a good life.
The social organisation and coherence of democracy depends on freedom of speech and information.
The contribution of a responsible individual to a society is damaged by censorship and authoritarianism.
Incarceration is an offence to democracy.
Such, also, is the condition of incarcerated refugees. Those who escape authoritarian regimes to seek asylum, who seek sympathy from democracies only to find they are punished as an example to dissuade others who wish to do the same.