Ensemble

Both a technical and conceptual aid, these pencil drawings serve as preparatory studies for meticulously constructed paintings. Although painting has always been omnipresent in Jim Shaw’s practice, it seems to have found a particular relevance in his work over the last fifteen years, coinciding with a turning point in image culture, following the rise of social networking. One can therefore wonder whether “good old” painting, chosen by Shaw, is really the most reliable and effective medium to satisfy his desire to communicate and express his vision of the world today? Perhaps we should take into account Jim Shaw’s ability to turn painting into something far more complex than it seems, something that goes beyond our relationship to the image and representation, something resolutely alive and seductive, at once of its time and outdated, inspiring confidence while defying truth.