If I'd Observed All the Rules I'd Never Have Got Anywhere

James McQueen

McQueen has consistently challenged convention, both within his artistic practice and in life beyond the studio. Here, he takes the rulebook of conformity and pointedly subverts it, stamping across its pages a playful provocation that urges us all to push boundaries in pursuit of our dreams.

As ever, there is more to McQueen’s practice than first meets the eye. Beneath the splashes of paint and bold typography lie subtle, intimate details. Scribbled shopping lists, phone numbers and messages to loved ones are scattered across the surface, echoing the oddly personal notes so often discovered in second-hand books. These hidden fragments invite viewers to look closer, offering glimpses of humour, honesty, and humanity.