The Place Of The Skull original hyperrealism oil painting by UK portrait artist James Earley

The Place of The Skull

Original

Oil on canvas

Created 2019

Sold Private Collection UK

Description

Provenance: “The Place Of The Skull” won first prize at the prestigious London Biennale in 2019

“The Place of The Skull” won first prize at the London Biennale 2019 and has been exhibited in London and Amsterdam. The Place of The Skull is a tribute to the child victims of war. I was influenced by Picasso’s Guernica which had a profound affect on me and I wanted to do a modern version of this painting. The Three figures in the background are images of torture victims at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, I wanted to show how martyrs are born and how the torture crimes actually fanned the flames of terrorism and so we have a never ending cycle of bombing, resistance, torture, bombing, resistance, torture……

“The Place Of The Skull” is also available as a signed limited edition print, please CLICK HERE to view.

Testimonials

Dorothee ter Kulve Chair

I worked with James Earley on the series Climate Refugees in Bangladesh. James is a deeply engaged artist - authentic, highly skilled, and a true master of his craft. He is also extremely reliable and a genuine pleasure to collaborate with. Through his work, he gives a face to people who live daily with the consequences of climate change. His paintings convey not only vulnerability, but above all resilience and dignity. There are hardly words for what he is able to express with a brush - his work speaks where language falls short.

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Keith Adsley

We first met James at an art show in London about 7 years ago We were taken with the attention to detail of his pieces, the subject matter and his commitment to serious social issues. Over the years we have purchased 4 pieces of James work, covering the major issues of homelessness, climate and the rise of the far right. He is an artist that makes thought provoking and beautiful art in response to urgent issues

Tim Foley

James Earley is, for me, unique. The incredible skill and photo-realism might run the risk of neutrally presenting his subjects. Instead, they are full of emotion and humanity and inescapably real people. Every day, I make eye contact with one of his paintings at my house and always feel an emotional spark when I look into the eyes of that person.

Annabel Foley

James Earley is a very special artist. He lives his work and you feel his passion in every piece. James creates a meticulous, life-like image on canvas and then manages to add even more... His paintings capture the inner life of his subject and everything that shapes their life. He translates the full beauty and fragility of being human onto canvas. I'm so glad we are lucky enough to own many of his paintings. It's a pleasure and a privilege to know James.

Shahida Khan

I've been looking at James Earley's work for about a decade now and he has, back to back, kept me following with the quality and brilliance of his superb work. From the musicians to the Homeless series and his trip to Bangladesh right up until now, there's never been a break from the love button from me. I'm proud to say I have two of his limited addition signed prints adorning my sitting room wall and feel really lucky to have them. The subject matter has always been linked to injustice and to James' wonderful sympathy with the indomitable human spirit. So his recent critics can't suddenly pretend he's too controversial now. If you get the chance to catch any of his works/portraits in the flesh you not only realise the artist's undoubted mastery of realism but also his joyful use of colour and perspective that make them so satisfyingly commercial too, dispite the difficult subject matter.

Dr. Joseph Ngeh

James Earley is a multiple international award-winning artist. His paintings are not always “pretty” to look at, but they captivate viewers on emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels. The works often convey urgent and important messages that seem to scream from both the artist himself and the subjects he portrays, addressing viewers and the wider world directly. Combined with his highly technical hyperrealistic painting skills, James’s work compels any serious viewer to pause and reflect. His paintings have a powerful ability to inspire resilience and gratitude, encouraging us to contribute, in our own ways, to a better society and the world we live in.

Maarten Leijenaar

I got to know James as an artist at a very special moment in my life. My daughter (Milou) had just recovered from a serious medical condition. For us, this was reason enough to have this captured in a portrait of her (and her dog). James managed to beautifully capture this very emotionally charged period for us in a timeless work of art. In order to do so, he visited us in the Netherlands. He first wanted to see and get to know Milou so he could portray her properly. We were extremely pleased with the final result. For us, it symbolizes a new beginning in a certain sense.

Leslye Stewart Kemp

James Earley’s work documents the harsh realities of systemic injustices while also capturing the irreducible humanity of every subject he paints. He is able to document suffering while illuminating the dignity, love, strength, and resilience that persist within that suffering. His work’s insistence on humanity is an act of resistance to forces that seek to dehumanize, to cultivate polarization, to commoditize us. It’s this insistence on humanity that draws me to his work—art that refuses to surrender empathy to systems built for erasure.

Enaya Mango

James is an honest artist that has deep feelings about justice in the world. James painted the pain and misfortune of people whom James has no connection to whatsoever except humanity. I see through James's paintings a great artist who through his art screams out loud in silence.

Ann Gummels

I'm very much enjoying "Sumana", the painting of a little Bangladeshi girl against a background of a char (riverine island), James created for me. Not only is it a beautiful, tangible symbol for my travels to Bangladesh, the process of it's creation was also very exciting. James sent me pictures of the intermediate stages and even a video. The personal delivery was a wonderful finish of this. Many thanks, James!

Imran Rasul

"James Earley is an artist who refuses to look away from the harder truths of the human condition. His paintings confront power, conflict and vulnerability with striking honesty, yet always with deep humanity. Living with his work isn't just about decoration, it's about being reminded that great art should challenge us, unsettle us and make us think"

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