James Gortner


New Painting Projects
  1. Ground Breakage II- Old Bell Labs (2024-ongoing)
  2. Knight Paintings (2021-ongoing)
  3. Ground Breakage I- Mana Contemporary (2016-ongoing)
  4. Abstract Constructs (2015-ongoing)

Archived
Painting Projects

  1. Tarot Card Paintings (2008-2020)
  2. Fairies, Angels, and Wizards (2013-2020)
  3. Portraits Made In Darkside (2005-2007)






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©2025

Knight Paintings (2021-ongoing)


White is the mixing of all the colors in the rainbow, and black is the absence of this spectrum. The idea was to take the colors theoretically already existing on a chessboard, as shades, and spread them out across the canvas and the motif. 

The works also play with art historical references, most notably Cubism, Surrealism, and Pop Art. The color explorations in the work issue far-flung references to Richard Diebenkorn, Wayne Thiebaud, and NC Wythe. The striking change in style between these works and others of my works should recall the chimerical muse of Gerhard Richter and Philip Guston.

etc. etc.

This is not a thing to explain in text. It’s not even a practice to be overly validated, as it is only, and simply, painting.

These works represent a game in play, not an endgame. Unlike chess, the paintings are about optimization through imperfection and blending of the known with the unknowable. That which we might glimpse through art. The positions these works take are not objective, like in chess, but subjective and open to interpretation. 


JAMES GORTNER
Good Knight,
2021
Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in 


(SOLD)


JAMES GORTNER
Shadowless Horse, 2021

Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in


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JAMES GORTNER
Knight & Day, 2024

Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in


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JAMES GORTNER
A Dirtbag Full Of Gold, 2024

Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 48 in

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JAMES GORTNER
Call Me Knights Inversal, 2021

Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in 


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JAMES GORTNER
Call Me The Never-Ending Story, 2025

Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in 


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JAMES GORTNER
Call Me Ride Or Die, Zebra-Pegasus, 2025
Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in 


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JAMES GORTNER
Castled King, Or Castled King Apes About, Black Gold, The Inverted Yellow Star Conspiracy, Animal Retaliation, And Unconditional Plumes, 2021
 
Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 48 in 


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JAMES GORTNER
Masked Joan Of Arc Riding A Unicorn Knight From Hell, 2024
 
Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in 


(SOLD)

 
JAMES GORTNER
Dragon Knight (The Wizz), Flipps The Script, Keeps The Magic, 2025
Reclaimed oil, acrylic, and spray paint on canvas, 72 in x 60 in


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