29 September 2010b Painting

James Petrucci is an artist and lecturer based in London. He graduated with a Masters in Fine Art from Wimbledon College of Art in 2011. Petrucci has exhibited throughout the UK including solo shows in London and Yorkshire and residencies at Leeds City Art Gallery, Wimbledon College of Art and Tiyamike Mulungu Children's Centre in Malawi, Africa. In 2011 he was awarded First Prize at the Oxford House Open Exhibition. Exploring notions of archetype and mediated image Petrucci's work focuses on representations of youth. He employs source photographs found in the media translating these images into paint. By drawing on such media images as a foundation for the paintings Petrucci aims to question these established archetypes inviting the viewer to consider the 'truth' of the photographic source and prevailing perceptions of specific social groups. Vigorous painterly gestures and considered strokes are combined to disrupt the photographic foundation and provoke dialogue around issues of stereotype and classification.