James Robert Ford is a British artist whose practice is concerned with childhood past-times, pursuits and obsessions. His body of work consists of projects and investigations based around observations, process and play: ranging from a formula predicting Bond film plot structure, to tracking the lives of cigarette lighters, to covering a Ford Capri in over 4,000 toy cars. http://www.jamesrobertford.com Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:48:00 GMT Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:48:00 GMT Click on the link above to view works from this project or cut and paste this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiktxUNdq5M to view a brief walk-through of the exhibition as shown at FERREIRA PROJECTS this month. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/duchamp_cranes/index.shtml Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:09:00 GMT There is a full page spread about Ford's imminent London solo show in the current issue of Grafik magazine. Click link to view the press cutting. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/press/articles/grafik_apr2008.htm Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:35:00 GMT Number Plate sized, aluminium mounted print of all 124 npi findings (views of each vehicle and close-ups of the number plates) that Ford documented over the period of a year. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/editions/index2.shtml#npi Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:58:00 GMT FERREIRA PROJECTS is proud to present the first solo exhibition in London of James R Ford - Duchamp Played Chess; I made Cranes. Ford's new body of work emerges from his fascination with the ancient Japanese practice of Origami and begins to illustrate how Eastern Art has become Westernised. SHOW RUNS 18 April - 10 May, Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 18.00. OPENING NIGHT 17 April 18.00 - 21.00. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/news/crane_flyer.jpg Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:15:00 GMT The Press section of this site has been updated to include videos of Ford's television appearances and programmes featuring his work. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/press/ Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:19:00 GMT For this work Ford was focused on the playground activity of making paper aeroplanes. Many different designs (of varying difficulty) were folded, flown and documented in the process. The drawings are studies of these planes handmade by Ford - the subtle depiction of warped edges and uneven folds conveys their pathos and imperfection. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/paper_planes/index.shtml Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:48:00 GMT "Initially I started folding paper cranes as a way to escape - Origami to me was like what playing chess was to Duchamp, although I never intended to retire at this point." Click the link to read the interview in full. http://www.myartspace.com/blog/2007/11/art-space-talk-james-robert-ford.html Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:03:00 GMT The 9 Rotating Rainbow Cranes screensaver is a collection of illustrated Origami cranes, infinitely spinning through the colours of the rainbow to protect your computer monitor in its periods of prolonged inactivity. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/editions Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:22:00 GMT Now that the 21st instalment of the Bond series has been released on DVD, and I have had chance to time it, here are The Bond Formula results (the first release of Casino Royale in 1967 wasn't included in the project because it isn't an official MGM Bond film). They changed the format more than usual in Casino Royale 2006 - there is no Money Penny or Q/R characters and there is no actual final combat between Bond and the main villain - it's Bond being tortured and then some guy comes in and shoots the villain. Still counts though! There were a number of casino gambling scenes so I chose the first one as the one to count. This was also the longest Bond film ever. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/the_bond_formula/index.shtml Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:37:00 GMT I am not a fridge, 2007, Fridge door, magnetic letters, 52 x 80 x 11 cm http://www.jamesrobertford.com/news/iamnotafridge_big.jpg Mon, 01 Oct 2007 09:10:00 GMT Camping out in the back garden as part of the 33 things to do before you're 10 project. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1213943091/bctid1213913206 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:43:00 GMT The project begins... http://www.jamesrobertford.com/news/green_crane.jpg Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:56:00 GMT The Ford automobile logo enlarged with brand name substituted for the artist's signature. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/news/jfcar_web.jpg Fri, 10 Aug 2007 14:10:00 GMT Oscar (a 6 month old kitten) is wearing a customised Chihuahua hoodie with modified wireless spy camera attached. He was filmed roaming around, going about his day to day activities. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/catcollartv/index.shtml Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:56:00 GMT Two of Ford's poster works (including Art is Wank) will be included in the group show Stick*Stamp*Fly at Gasworks in South London this month. The opening night is on Thursday 9th August, 7-9pm, with live music from Butler-Williams. http://www.gasworks.org.uk/ Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:25:00 GMT A 1/4 size replica of the Capri that Ford used to build his General Carbuncle sculpture, recreated in the second hand state it was bought. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/homage_crap_capri/index.shtml Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:01:00 GMT Documented at Goldsmiths, London, July 2007. With the floor of the installation space booby trapped with stink-bomb-land-mines, it is hoped that gallery goers will be holding their nose and pulling faces like the visitors of the Tate Modern in the photographs on show. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/news/goldsmiths_artinfart_big.jpg Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:01:00 GMT 24 emerging artists from across the world explore "how urban culture inspires creativity". A selection of work from the catalogue. 4th July 2007, 7-11pm. 80 Charlotte Street, LONDON, W1A 1AQ http://www.jamesrobertford.com/press/flyers/4c.htm Fri, 08 Jun 2007 09:01:00 GMT Mock-up image of an installation, using recycled ashtrays. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/news/stand_up_tall.gif Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:05:00 GMT Driven, Fieldgate Gallery, London. Exhibition open 30th June - 29th July 2007. Private View 29th June, 6-9pm. Ford will be exhibiting his Number Plate Initials along with a new work called Homage to a crap Capri. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/press/flyers/driven.htm Fri, 25 May 2007 16:19:00 GMT The Six Degrees of Smoking lighters are still travelling the world after 18 months! http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/six_degrees_of_smoking/info.shtml Fri, 04 May 2007 02:07:00 GMT Documentation and info about Smelly Terrorism and The Art in Fart project. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/artinfart/index.shtml Wed, 02 May 2007 12:18:00 GMT I came across an article published in a newspaper which listed 33 things you should do before you're 10 and realised I hadn't done them all. Did I miss out on some important activities as a child?! Marriage is a big step toward leading an adult life and because I'm getting hitched in May 2008 I thought I better complete this list ASAP, in-case missing off some of these things makes me mentally unstable further down the line. http://www.33thingstodobeforeyouare10.co.uk Sun, 29 Apr 2007 15:42:00 GMT Stink bomb floor plan with timings, from the Tate Modern attack. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/artinfart/images/tate_map.gif Wed, 25 Apr 2007 09:55:00 GMT Bogey Ball will be shown as part of the Extreme Crafts exhibition at Lithuania's Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius this month. The show runs from 25th May - 12th August. "The exhibition has several sections, from a "rogue's gallery" showing objects and documentation of work being made by self-organised groups and individuals across the globe, to politicised handmade objects. Subverted ideas of national identity as expressed through regional crafts, sitting side-by-side mutated folk traditions and much more." http://www.cac.lt/en.php/exhibitions/current/21 Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:07:00 GMT A darkly dysphemistic version of the cursed video from "The Ring" films: a cinematic metaphor featuring tantric farting, a menacing 'turtle's head', and endevouring to remove the remnants of a 'dirty sanchez'. Initially distributed as a link within a viral email and located on the YouTube website for maximum accesibility. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/the_ring/index.shtml Tue, 17 Oct 2006 13:15:00 GMT After 3 years of planning, perseverance and Porsches, the General Carbuncle sculpture is finally finished and will be part of the Your Gallery@The Guardian exhibition this month. The show is on from 23th - 28th October at the Guardian Newsroom Gallery, Farringdon Road, London, but the General will only be there on the opening night. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/yourgallery/ Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:06:00 GMT Ford will be showing a work in the Objects in Waiting exhibition, 19-26 Oct, Sheffield. Objects in Waiting is an exhibition of objects that were found or bought with the particular thought or intention to one day use in the making of an artwork. However, days or months or even years have passed, and still no use for these objects has been found. Perhaps the objects have gained a status whereby they have become too important to combine with anything else. If this is so, consider the possibility that these objects, which have the potential to be elements of an artwork, could in fact be exhibited as works of art themselves... http://objectsinwaiting.co.uk/ Sun, 10 Sep 2006 20:50:00 GMT The Nintendo 64 classic video game MarioKart was played everyday by all 5 residents of 36 Kitson Road. The winning player fluctuated greatly so a yearly tournament was created to identify that year's overall champion. A set of rules and drinking forfeits were introduced to make the game more nerve racking. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/works/lightning_king/index.shtml Fri, 08 Sep 2006 15:49:00 GMT Ford has been nominated as one of the 30 artists shortlisted in the latest Guardian / Saatchi Gallery collaboration. 10 artists will be selected by readers of the newspaper to appear in an exhibition in October at the Guardian Newsroom Gallery in Clerkenwell, London. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/press/articles/guardian_060906.htm Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:04:00 GMT Last year a German TV crew flew over to England to film Ford and various House Gymnastics members busting moves in Ford's abode. Here is a link to the online video clip (requires RealPlayer). http://sonix.sdv.fr:8080/ramgen/arte/tracks/20050421/housefr.rm Wed, 05 Jul 2006 17:07:00 GMT The Kitson Kaleidoscope mini-site has been updated and documentation of the extravaganza is now online. The event was a great (if not bizarre) success so expect a DVD of the performances to be available soon. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/news/kitson_highlights.jpg Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:40:00 GMT There is a small article about the Kitson Kaleidoscope event in today's South London Press. You can read all about the Camberwell Arts Festival in the pull out segment. http://www.jamesrobertford.com/press/#230606 Fri, 02 Jun 2006 10:40:00 GMT A two hour collaborative performance beamed live via webcast from Ford's bedroom in Camberwell, London. Utilising Yahoo messenger I.D. kitsonkaleidoscope for live feed and chat, the event will take place on Wednesday 28th June 2006, 6-8pm, Kitson Road, Camberwell, London SE5 7LF. Ford's performance piece is entitled Live Art Whore... http://www.jamesrobertford.com/kitsonkaleidoscope/ Wed, 24 May 2006 15:48:00 GMT ART IS WANK - WANK CAN BE ART - WANK IS WANK http://www.jamesrobertford.com/editions/images/artiswank.jpg Mon, 24 Apr 2006 11:33:05 GMT There is currently a small interview about Ford's Six Degrees of Smoking project, in Nottingham based magazine Leftlion http://www.jamesrobertford.com/press/index2.shtml#240406