Maker/Artist
Nares, James
English painter and filmmaker, born 1953, active in New York City
Born in London, active in New York City since 1974. He was a part of the East Village art scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and made several films in this milieu from 1978-1981. He played guitar in the Contortions and percussion in the Del-Byzanteens, two downtown 'No Wave' groups active at this time, and founded CoLab (Collaborative Projects, Inc.). His paintings are abstract, usually large-scale, consisting of lone gestural strokes achieved with brushes the artist fabricates himself. He has also used mechanical means for creating works, including a rotating drum on which he attaches supports for drawings. In 2019 Nares revealed that he is transitioning to a female identity.
