James Robert Ford

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James R Ford

Born	6 May 1980 Frimley, England
Nationality	British
Field	Conceptual art, installation art
Training	Nottingham Trent University, Goldsmiths
Works	House Gymnastics, General Carbuncle

James Robert Ford is a contemporary British mixed media and installation artist.

General Carbuncle by James R Ford (2006)

Ford's projects include House Gymnastics (a domestic version of Le Parkour), Feecal the little chocolate starfish ('toilet humor' style cartoon characters and narratives), General Carbuncle (a British version of the General Lee, using thousands of toy cars) and Six Degrees of Smoking (tracking the lives of lost lighters).

Ford studied at Nottingham Trent University between 1999 - 2002 and graduated with artist Dai Roberts and curator Helen Jones, and a year after artist Jon Burgerman [1]. He then went on to complete his Postgraduate Diploma and MFA at Goldsmiths College, London.

Elevated Dog Stretch - a House Gymnastics move

James Robert Ford's most well known artwork 'House Gymnastics' is an exceptional example of the artist's knowledge, and use of mass media to generate and distribute artwork. 'House Gymnastics' mirrors projects and antics of British documentary comedians and humorists such as Dave Gorman and Danny Wallace (writer) In their use of the media as a tool to create stuff.

Ford's artwork is often based around social interaction and include elements of game play, participation, communication and humor, and is recognisable in form by its heavy use of the internet as a means of creating, displaying and promoting artworks. Often Ford's projects use the illustrator 'cutout' style, to illustrate the artworks.

Fortune Tower by James R Ford (2002)

"His practice is concerned with childhood past-times, pursuits and obsessions. His body of work consists of projects and investigations based around observations, process and play: ranging from a formula predicting Bond film plot structure, to tracking the lives of cigarette lighters, to covering a Ford Capri in over 4,000 toy cars."

Ford has co-written and illustrated the book House Gymnastics, had work commissioned for the permanent collection at the Swedish Museum of Modern Art, and has received a number of grants from Arts Council England.

He produces drawings, animations, assemblage sculpture, installation and film. Ford creates websites to accompany his larger projects, which often require involvement or contribution/collaboration with the public to create the work. His interactive animations and puzzles, displayed in the gallery setting or online, also change the viewer from passive spectator to active participant.

In April 2008 Ford exhibited a solo show of his work at FERREIRA PROJECTS, London, entitled Duchamp played Chess; I made Cranes, in reference to Marcel Duchamp's (supposed) abandonment of art for chess.