Ballaghadereen, Ireland, 1941 – a momentous year for the birth of James Coleman. In the present day, he is based in both Dublin and Paris. Spanning back to his inaugural exhibition in the far-off year of 1970, Coleman’s pioneering practice has redefined our understanding and expectations of time-based work. His impact on artists of subsequent generations is immeasurable.
With meticulous composure, Coleman critiques the photographic image through slide, film, and video projections. He invites the viewer to explore the complexities of how an image accrues meaning, while simultaneously pondering their own role in defining the experience of photography. Despite the subtle conceptual and temporal aspects that Coleman ascribes, his works exude a sensuality and elegance that stem from his embrace of the inherent uncertainties and potential of the photographic image.
Coleman’s academic journey took him to the renowned École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, as well as the Accademia di Belle Arti in Milan, among other prestigious institutions like the Central School of Art and Design in London and the National College of Art and Design University College in Dublin. In 2006, the National University of Ireland bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate, and in 2002, he received the Kurt Schwitters Prize in Hannover, Germany, as well as the Kunstpreis München. Notably, Coleman represented Ireland at the Paris Biennial in 1973.
