James McQueen's identity is veiled in mystery - he is an artist who operates under a pseudonym -yet his art is famously popular with our collectors, often selling-out shortly after release. Working between London and New York, his technique involves layering the canvas with an abundant application of paint in many colours and shades; his use of spray paints giving each piece a graffiti-influenced edge. Once dry, he sands the work down so that a multitude of layers are visible in the finished piece. Finally, the surface is covered with lacquer to add extra richness and vibrancy.

The pieces McQueen creates are based around his love of vintage books which have been much-read and show signs of wear and tear. He has translated this into his mixed media pieces influenced by classic paperbacks. 'Everyone who owns it has put their little stamp on it, like a tea mark, pencil scribbles, or folded page corners,' he says.

'I want to reimagine the dust jacket of a classic book, retro aesthetics with a provocative modern twist." 'I want to celebrate books as treasured objects and the deep affection we have with them. I want the viewer to create their own stories and make their own unique connections to each title. The colours I use can have very subversive powers, and there is a certain significance and emotion that each shade can bring to the interpretations of my work that throws emphasis on the title.'

Using paint and a spray can, McQueen light-heartedly subverts the traditional representation of book covers through his tongue-in-cheek titles and bold, contemporary aesthetic. The subject of books - explored by artists including the American illustrator Norman Rockwell - is given a modern feel through the incorporation of graffiti elements. Inspired by artists like Mark Rothko, these urban touches elevate the vintage, distressed feel of the boldly-coloured book covers, adding texture and challenging their history. McQueen adds: "I want to create that wear and tear, that authenticity. It's too easy to do something clean. It's too easy to do something with straight lines. It's much harder to make something look old and tired."

McQueen mixes the traditional and the provocative in his work. Familiar book designs which date back to the 1930's are mixed with very modern - and controversial - graphics, which subvert the vintage aesthetic of these iconic books. Uniting booklovers with fine art collectors, McQueen's Non-Fiction collections evoke the deeply personal experience and nostalgia that a book can create for its owner. Our emotional response to the words of a book - whether on the inside pages or the front cover - is personal to us. Just as each person interprets a character, or an artwork, differently, the quotes from McQueen's book covers hold significance in uniquely special ways. The carefully-selected typography gives these titles a voice, allowing them to convey a message through humour or caution.

An avid collector, McQueen is as much interested in books as the people who read them. His Anthology collection was inspired by his wife's pile of books next to the bed. 'There's something intriguing about an individual's choice of literature, differing titles waiting to be read, half read or discarded back on the pile for another day,' McQueen explains. 'Reading material is subjective, much like art and anyone can in theory get involved. It's an easy pastime, get a book, read it, and just like that you. become a reader. But behind that simple process is a question of motivation.

'Books carry a whole world within them. Books, like people, have personalities. Reading a good book is like making a new friend - understanding their journey and experiencing a different view of the world.'