Over the years, James Aldridge has developed a distinctive style. His canvases are carefully constructed assemblages in which elements from different visual languages converge. Naturalistic depictions of, for example, owls, bats, and beetles are combined with abstract or pictographic forms. In doing so, he draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including historical field guides, heavy metal album covers, Renaissance landscape painting, and Baroque still lifes.
By not limiting himself to purely naturalistic representation, but also incorporating symbols and abstract forms, the artist demonstrates how humans must continually negotiate their relationship with nature.
Another defining characteristic of Aldridge’s oeuvre is the large scale of many of his works. The painting Cold Mouth Prayer, which hung in Tate Modern for many years, measures 230 by 1000 centimetres. The work Slow Burn measures 200 by 800 centimetres.
In addition, many of his paintings include elements that glow in the dark, giving his work an almost autonomous life at night.
Aldridge’s paintings have been exhibited in numerous museums and galleries across Europe, including Tate Modern, Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, the Vandalorum Museum in Värnamo (Sweden), and the Nivaagaards Malerisamling in Nivå (Denmark).