James McQueen: In The Library

James McQueen has built an international following with his subversive reimaginings of vintage Penguin paperback covers. Rooted in the Pop art tradition of Warhol — who elevated the Campbell's soup can to monumental status — McQueen appropriates the familiar typography and branding of mass-produced mid-century books, replacing their titles with his own provocative, poignant, and often darkly humorous phrases on love, life, and modern anxiety.

What distinguishes McQueen's paintings is their extraordinary surface. Layer upon layer of paint is built up, sanded back, and lacquered to conjure the patina of a well-thumbed paperback: tea-mug rings, scuffed corners, faded ink, and pencil scribbles left by imagined former owners. The books are rendered not as they appeared when new, but as they exist today — worn, stained, and full of life. Graffiti flourishes and his recurring monkey motif nod to street art and to the anonymity the artist fiercely guards.

Nostalgic yet defiantly contemporary, McQueen's book paintings unite bibliophiles and collectors alike, and his market continues to strengthen at auction. Guy Hepner is pleased to present a curated selection of his works; contact the gallery for availability.