James Lemon

Statement

James Lemon, born in 1993 in Aotearoa (New Zealand), has been based in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia, since 2012. He’s a sculptor with a focus on clay. Lemon explores clay’s historical and ecological aspects, looking into its role in developing civilisations and connecting with other life forms.

Lemon’s work evokes religious elements, pop culture, and insects. While clay is his primary medium, Lemon often adds unconventional elements like bricks, precious stones, and discarded items to enrich his artistic language. His ongoing project, “SPHEXISHNESS,” addresses ecological concerns, specifically insect population decline and climate collapse. Through intuitive making, Lemon’s sculptures act as memorials for declining life forms, offering a commentary on the interconnectedness of human and natural worlds.

GlogauAIR Project

Inside GlogauAIR, I’ll fashion a nest objects within the space using raw clay and sound. It’ll be a temporary, site-specific work. I’ll throw and hand-build forms to create these nests. The work uses the architecture of the site as a bee hive would within a ceiling. A multilayered process where the making, and constructing are performed in the same space. This work is sculptural in form but performative in process.

CV Summary

Born Te Awamutu, Aotearoa / New Zealand, 1993
Residing and working in Naarm Melbourne, Australia

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

• Te Auaha Gallery, Wellington/ Te Whanganui-a-Tara Aotearoa, New Zealand
• The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne/ Narrm, Australia

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

• 2024 CARPE, BABES, Oigall Projects, Naarm
• 2023 Sphexishness, Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney/ Gadigal Land
• 2021 CANNIBALS, Oigall Projects, Melbourne
• 2021 The Nature of An Island (in collaboration with Dale Hardiman), James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
• 2020 Worm Charming, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

• 2024 Queer Objectification, ANZ Centre, Naarm/Melbourne
• 2024 Hard, Melbourne Naarm
• 2023 Sydney Contemporary, Sullivan + Strumpf, Sydney/ Gadigal Land
• 2023 Melbourne Design Fair, Melbourne/Naarm
• 2023 Swarming, Melbourne Now, The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne/Naarm
• 2022 Tree Log Paper Book, Bus Projects, Melbourne
• 2022 The Chair, Craft Victoria, Melbourne
• 2022 QUEER, National Gallery of Victoria
• 2022 SELECT, NGV Design Fair, Melbourne
• 2022 Self-Portrait, Friends and Associates, Melbourne
• 2021 Radiant Dreams, Modern Times, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2021 Grotto, Saint Cloche, Sydney/ Gadigal Land
• 2021 Cup Runneth Over, Michael Reid Northern Beaches, Sydney/ Gadigal Land
• 2021 Third, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2021 Fluid, Wyndham City Gallery, Werribee
• 2021 Ceramica Maxima, Jam Factory, Adelaide
• 2021 Summer New, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
• 2020 Talismans, Rafts, Momentos, Modern Times, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2020 Contemporary Sculpture, James Makin Gallery, Melbourne
• 2020 Life and Death, Friends and Associates and NGV Design Week, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2020 The Backbone of Things, Te Auaha Gallery, Glenn Barkley, Wellington/ Te Whanganui-a-Tara, New Zealand
• 2019 Artisan Handmade, Craft Victoria, Melbourne
• 2019 Fold Vessels, Big Boom, Geelong, Victoria
• 2019 Fold Vessels, Hall and Wilcox Emerging Artists Exhibition
• 2019 A.G.M. Expo, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2019 Welcome to Wasteland, Friends and Associates and NGV Design Week, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2017 New Textures, Port Jackson Press, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2016 Object Therapy (In collaboration with Dale Hardiman), Nishi Gallery, Canberra/ Ngambri.

SELECTED COMMISSIONS

• 2022 BYO Plate Set,Powerhouse Museum, Sydney/ Gadigal Land
• 2022 PeeHive, Craft Victoria, Melbourne Narrm
• 2022 Text Blocks, NGV Design Store, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2022 KIln Brick Wall, ACE Hotel, Sydney/ Gadigal Land
• 2019 Limoncello,Tantri Mustika, Heidelberg Museum of Modern Art Design Store, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2018 Relativity, NGV Design Store, Melbourne
• 2016 Rock Barrel Lamp, Dowel Jones, Melbourne/ Narrm

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

• 2024 Grant Panel, Creative Victoria, Melbourne/Naarm
• 2023 Guest Curator, Craft Victora, Melbourne/ Naarm
• 2023 Guest Judge, Fresh!, Craft Victoria, Melbourne Naarm
• 2022 Guest Judge, Fresh!, Craft Victoria, Melbourne Naarm
• 2020 NGV Teen Connections, Melbourne/ Narrm
• 2019 Guest Tutor, The Ceramics House, Brisbane/ Meanjin
• 2018 Guest Tutor, UNSW Ceramics, Sydney
• 2018 Guest Tutor, Wellington Potters Association, Wellington/ Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa/ New Zealand
• 2018 Guest Tutor, The Ceramics House, Brisbane/ Meanjin
• 2017 Guest Tutor, The Australian Catholic University, Melbourne/ Narrm.

PHILANTROPY

• 2024, 2023, 2022 Founder of ‘Lemon Award of Exellence’ for FRESH – CRAFT VICTORIA

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

• 2023 Elle Decor Magazine, France
• 2023 Rose Leake. “James Lemon –Cool Hunters.” Art Collector, Jan-Mar 2023
• 2022 Ursula Briar. “Introducing –James Lemon.” Sullivan+Strumpf Magazine, 2022
• 2022 Artichoke Magazine July, 2022
• 2022 Elias Redstone. “‘By queers for queers’: NGV hosts largest ever show of queer art in Australia.” Wallpaper* Magazine, 22 July, 2022
• 2022. Jake Millar. “Meet the creative minds and artists behind Ace Hotel Sydney.” Vogue Living Australia, May 22
• 2022 Susan Owens. “New Melbourne Design Fair waves the flag for ‘Australian made.” Australian Financial Review, 4 March 2022
• 2021 Fatima Measham. “Chapter VI: The Making of a People’s Gallery.” Wyndam Art Gallery 2011-21 Decade, 2021
• 2021 “Five Minutes with… James Lemon.” Marmalade, Jam Factory. (Last updated June 2021)
• 2021 “The Nature of an Island by Dale Hardiman and James Lemon at Melbourne Design Week.” Yellowtrace, 7 April 2021
• 2020 “Queer.” National Gallery of Victoria Exhibition Catalogue

Gallery