Subscribe

Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis
[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]

About

“Jamie’s exhibition is controversial – there is no doubt about that. As a piece of art, it fulfils all the most basic criteria – a multi-layered experience, it informs, it questions and it provokes a reaction, both emotional and academic. Like Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst… the world will be talking about Jamie McCartney for a long time to come.” – Art of England

Curriculum Vitae

I am a full-time artist working largely on figurative sculptures and scanographs for gallery exhibitions and private customers, mostly in Europe, North America and China. With 25 years experience, I have a multidisciplinary approach creating highly finished, museum quality artworks. My personal work often has a strong sociopolitical basis and is frequently experimental. I embrace tricky subject matter and new media and enjoy involving other artists, technicians, scientists and the public

Read More

My most recognised work is The Great Wall of Vagina (now Vulva). Exhibited in galleries in Brighton and London and at museums in Milan, Lisbon and Miami, it has kept me constantly in the international press since 2008. I have been self-representing since the closure of The Kaleidoscope and Hay Hill galleries in London, who I was with for many years.

Before I became a full time artist I worked as a sculptor and prop maker in the film industry, working on feature films such as Casino Royale. At the same time I ran my own forge, making abstract, animal sculptures in steel. In 1997 I established what has become the UK’s most successful body casting studio. We have created private and commercial sculpture commissions for clients in many countries, including A-list artists, celebrities and royals.

 

Positions Held:

Director – McCartney Arts Ltd
Advisory Board – The Vagina Museum
Chelsea Arts Club member

 

Education:

1991     Bachelor of Fine Art (Summa Cum Laude – with highest honours), Hartford Art School, USA
1986     Art Foundation, London College of Printing

 

Museum Exhibitions/Collections:

Coming coon      FIFA MUSEUM – e-sports Hall of Fame, Zurich, Switzerland
Nov 2022 – Dec 2025      WILZIG MUSEUM – South Beach, Miami, USA
Jun 2022 – Oct 2022      MU-SEX – “Amor Veneris” Palácio Anjos , Lisbon, Portugal
April 2022 – Dec 2022     BRIGHTON MUSEUM – Peace Machine installation, Brighton, UK
Acquired – Sept 2019      STROJER SAMLINGEN – motor Museum, Assens, Denmark
Dec 2012 – Mar 2013      TRIENNALE DI MILANO – design Museum, Milan, Italy
April 2007 – July 2008      AMORA – Museum of Sex & Relationships, London, England

 

Recent Solo Exhibitions:

Nov 2022    HAY HILL GALLERY – online 10th anniversary Solo show – London UK
Sep 2019    GOODWOOD REVIVAL – “Figurative and portraiture” sculpture show
May 2019    DESIGN RENAISSANCE GALLERY – Solo show, Brighton & Hove, UK
Oct 2016    BRIGHTON PHOTO FRINGE – Solo show “Bra Spangled Banner”, Hove UK
Mar 2016    Sh! WOMENSTORE – Great Wall of Vagina mini exhibition, London UK
Feb 2015    GOLDSTONE GALLERY – Solo show “The Sum of Our Parts”, Hove UK
Oct 2014    BRIGHTON PHOTO FRINGE – Solo show “The Sum of Our Parts”, Hove UK
May 2012    HAY HILL GALLERY- Solo show “Skin Deep”, Cork St. London UK

 

Recent Group Exhibitions:

Jul 2024    BALLROOM ARTS GALLERY – group show, Aldeburgh UK
Jul 2024    EASTCLIFF HOUSE GALLERY – group show, Manningtree UK
Mar 2024    CHELSEA ARTS CLUB – group show, London UK
Jun 2022    HEARTS ART GALLERY – Sensual Expression group show. Tallinn, Estonia
Mar 2022    ENCOUNTERS DIGITAL – Group NFT show, Hove, UK
Feb 2020    PHOTO LA – Seer Gallery, Los Angeles
Oct 2018    STAND WITH WOMEN – Planned Parenthood Charity Art Auction, Pittsburgh
Sep 2018    PHOTOFAIRS SHANGHAI, Frogman Art Gallery, Shanghai, China
Sep 2018    COASTAL CURRENTS ARTS FESTIVAL, Group show, Hastings, UK
Apr 2018    GALERIE ROWLAND & KUTSCHERA – The London Five show, Berlin, Germany
Mar 2018    SOHOST LONDON – Group show of The London Five
Oct 2017    SOTHEBYS VIENNA – Charity Art Auction, Sothebys, Vienna
Sep 2017    BATTERSEA POWER STATION – Great Wall of Vagina mini exhibition
May 2016    HAY HILL GALLERY- Group show, Baker St. London UK
May 2016    ART UNDRESSED – group show, Miami, USA
Dec 2015    OXO TOWER WHARF –Freedom from Torture charity auction, London UK
Jul 2015    HENLEY FESTIVAL – London UK
Nov 2014    ART UNDRESSED – group show, Miami, USA
Jul 2014    GALLERY ZOZIMUS – group show, Dublin, Ireland.
Jun 2014    GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL –  Interactive installation with Guerilla Science.
Jun 2014    WEEKEND WOMEN’S SHOW – Great Wall of Vagina photo show Ontario CA
Mar 2014    MENIER GALLERY – “Time = Change” group show, London UK
Mar 2014    ESPACIO GALLERY – “Time = Change” group show, London UK
Feb 2014    WAREHOUSE GALLERY – “The Naked & The Nude” group show, Brighton UK
Jan 2014    BLACK’S –  “Salon Hystérique” group show, Soho, London UK
Oct 2013    HAY HILL GALLERY- Group show, Baker St. London UK
Sep 2013    ONCA GALLERY – ‘Down to the Bone’ group show, Brighton UK
Sep 2013    Macmillan DeLonghi Charity Art Auction, Royal College of Art, London
Jul 2013    HENLEY FESTIVAL – London UK
May 2013    CHELSEA ARTS CLUB – group show London UK
May 2013    JUBILEE LIBRARY – ‘Omnia Scroll’ group show, Brighton UK
Mar 2013    ART STUDIO VENICE – “Omnia Scroll” group show, Venice, Italy
Feb 2013    SIN CITY GALLERY – ‘12” of Sin’ group show, Las Vegas, USA
Feb 2013    THE DIRTY SHOW – group show, Detroit, USA
Oct 2012    FACTORY ART – Group show, Berlin, Germany
Aug 2012    HAY HILL GALLERY- Group show, Cork St. London UK
Jul 2012    HENLEY FESTIVAL – group s show, Hay Hill Gallery, London UK
Jun 2012    PZ GALLERY – Group photography show, Penzance UK
May 2012    CHELSEA ARTS CLUB – group photography show London UK
Mar 2012    CHELSEA ARTS CLUB – group show London UK
May 2011    BRIGHTON FESTIVAL FRINGE – Brighton UK
May 2011    ARTISTS OPEN HOUSES – Brighton, UK
Aug 2010    CHELSEA ARTS CLUB – group show London UK
May 2010    ARTISTS OPEN HOUSES – Brighton, UK
Dec 2009    CHELSEA ARTS CLUB – group show London UK
Dec 2009    MADAME GEISHA – group show Brighton UK
Oct 2009    Macmillan Cancer Charity Art Auction, London UK
May 2009    IMPURE ART GALERY – group show, Brighton UK
May 2009    BRIGHTON FESTIVAL FRINGE VISUAL ARTS – Brighton UK
May 2009    ARTISTS OPEN HOUSES – Brighton, UK
May 2009    SEIZE THE DAY – group show, Martlets Hospice, Brighton UK
Mar 2009    THE AFFORDABLE ART FAIR – Battersea, London
Jan 2009    PURE ARTE ART FAIR – Vigo, Spain
Dec 2008    STARS ON CANVAS – Victoria , London
Sept2008    MEN ONLY Everyman Charity Auction– Liberty London
Oct 2008    ART UNDRESSED – group show, Beate Uhse, Berlin, Germany
Jul 2008    THE BIRDS AND THE BEES – Chelsea Arts Club, London
May 2008    IMPURE ART GALLERY – group show, Brighton UK
Dec 2007    THE HEALING POWER OF ART – group show, Brighton UK
Dec 2007    DOUBLE TROUBLE – JAG Gallery, Brighton UK
Nov 2007    Macmillan DeLonghi Charity Art Auction, Arts Club Mayfair, London UK
Jul 2007    BODY OF WORK group show, Lewes UK

 

Public Lectures/Appearances:

May 2022 THE CLITORIS SUMMIT – The Potent Power of Genital Art – online lecture
May 2021 THE CLITORIS SUMMIT – The Great Wall of Vagina – online interview
May 2020 WILZIG MUSEUM – A Brief History of Genitals – online lecture
Nov 2019 THE BOOK OF MAN – Genital Diversity – panel discussion
Oct 2019    THE VAGINA MUSUEM London – How to be a Male Ally – panel discussion
Sep 2015    EASTERN PARTNERSHIP CULPTURE CONGRESS – Talk & Q&A, Lviv, Ukraine
Mar 2015    RED TENT REVIVAL – Women’s event – demos and a talk, Boulder USA
Jan 2015    TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN Arts Festival – Talk & Q&A about my work to date
Oct 2014    CENTURY CLUB London – Slide show & talk on ‘Erotic Art vs Pornography’
Jun 2014    GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL – Live photo scanning with Guerilla Science.
Jun 2014    WEEKEND WOMEN’S SHOW – Live photo scanning, Ontario CA
Feb 2014    WAREHOUSE GALLERY – Slide show & lecture on ‘Erotic Art vs Pornography’
Feb 2014    HOME HOUSE Member’s Club, London – Panel discussion on erotic art
Feb 2014    TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN Arts Festival – Talk & Q&A about my work to date
Oct 2013    TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN – The Phil debating society “Is Porn Art?”
May 2013    SUSSEX ARTISTS CLUB – Lecture on “The Nude in Art and Pornography”
Jul 2012   WELLCOME TRUST – Panel discussion at launch of Centrefold Project
May 2011    CATALYST CLUB – Public talk about my work ‘The Great Wall of Vagina’

 

Artworks Featured in TV and Film:

Jun 2014    French Cinema Release – ‘Tristesse Club’ featrued ‘4×4’ sculpture
May 2014    BBC 3 – ‘Porn – What’s the Harm’ featrued ‘57 Women’ sculpture
Nov 2013    Channel 4 – ‘The Cruel Cut’ FGM documentary featrued ’57 Women’
May 2011    Music video – ‘If Pacino was God’ featrued ‘The Impossibility of Passion’

 

Personal TV & Radio  Appearances:

Aug 2019    French TV2, Stupéfiant! ‘La Revanche du Con’ feature about me and my work
Jun 2019    BBC RADIO 4, ‘The Culture Kitchen’, interview with me and Richard Strange
Jun 2019    BBC SUSSEX, ‘Drivetime’, interview with me about The Great Wall of Vagina
Sep 2018    BBC WORLD SERVICE, ‘The Benefits of Nakedness’, interview for feature
Oct 2017    BBC 5 Live Breakfast – Guest appearance re The Great Wall of Vagina
Oct 2017    ITV – Loose Women – Guest appearance re The Great Wall of Vagina
Sep 2015    Ukraine TV – Interview in English about the Mission of Culture During Crisis
Nov 2014    ARTE TV France & Germany – The New Feminists – interview
Nov 2014    BBC1 South East – Inside Out – featuring my work for Breast Cancer UK
Jul 2014    New Scientist – Web TV – feature on my installation at Glastonbury 2014
Jan 2014    Brilliant Britain – Community Channel – feature on Brighton’s best.
Apr 2013    Colombian TV – Mi Revelución Erótica – about The Great Wall of Vagina
Jan 2013    BBC Southeast Today News – update on my ‘Messages in Bottles’
Dec 2012    BBC3 Russell Howard’s Good News “Headliners” featured artist
Mar 2012    RSI Switzerland – A Fior Di Pelle – documentary about me and my work
Jun 2011    Bild TV Germany – Intime Kunst – about The Great Wall of Vagina
Apr 2010    Channel 5 – ‘Sex: How to do Everything’ – chat show interview
Sep 2009    BBC4 The Art of Dying with Dan Criuckshank – featured artist
Feb 2009    BBC Southeast Today News – feature on me and my Brighton studio
Dec 2008    BBC Southeast Today News – feature on my ‘Messages in Bottles’
Aug 2008    ITV Trinny and Susannah – artist central to the show filmed at my studio
Jun 2008    Channel 4 – ‘The Perfect Vagina’ creating The Great Wall of Vagina
Jan 2007    BBC Southeast Today News – feature on my ‘Car-bon Miles’ project
Oct 2000    BBC2 Fantasy Rooms surrealist room featured artist making Dali clock
Feb 1998    BBC1 Panorama – Dome! Featured artist on Millennium Dome models

 

Public & Commercial Commissions:

2013    1930’s BATHING BEAUTY – figurative sculpture for Cleethorpes Lido, UK
2012     CANCAN – oversize legs sculpture for Dukes at Komedia Cinema– Brighton UK
2008    BONZAI TREE – Madam Geisha Nightclub – Brighton UK
2007    ART CAR PARADES – Manchester and Blackpool UK
2007    AMORA – Six sculptures commissioned by a visitor attraction, London UK
1999    4 FARM ANIMALS – Public steel sculpture, Egham town centre, Surrey UK

 

Awards:

2014    Runner Up – ES international art competition
2012    Juror Award – Grand Prix de la Decouverte photographic competition
2010    Runner Up – Aesthetica Creative Works art competition
2009    Winner – BaHBA – Creative Industries Award
2008    Runner Up – ES international art competition
2007    Winner – Kyoto Award – Art Car Parade, Manchester
2007    Winner – Brighton Hilton – Brick in the Wall art competition
2007    Winner – 1st Prize – ES international art competition

Read Less

Artist Biography

Jamie is an English artist with a BFA in Experimental Studio Art from Hartford Art School, USA, class of 1991. Having crewed on a peace boat and campaigned for environmental groups in his youth, Jamie’s socio-political interests often influence his work. With a career-long commitment to experimentation he focuses largely on the body using traditional and novel materials, applying many unusual processes. Often exploring emotive subjects his work tends to court controversy.

Read More

His most famous work is The Great Wall of Vagina, an eight metre long wall sculpture created from plaster casts of 400 women’s genitals. Five years in the making and entirely self-funded, it typifies Jamie’s artistic determination. Appearing in numerous medical and educational texts it is championed for combating genital anxieties. It has become a hugely influential feminist artwork, which literally changes people’s lives. It has been displayed at the Triennale Museum in Milan in 2013, twice in London at the Mall Galleries in 2015 and the Hay Hill Gallery on Cork Street in 2012 and at the artist’s studio in Brighton in 2011.

Jamie is also a successful commissioned artist, creating figurative sculptures in bronze, plaster, glass and fibreglass. He is also increasingly known for his scanner photography, producing life size body portraits, collaged from many images.

With his work constantly in the media, Jamie has gained an international reputation a leading underground artist. Publically speaking on subjects such as art versus pornography and the importance of art as an engine of social change, he remains a campaigner and advocate for many causes. He exhibits frequently, has appeared in several art books and has private collectors around the world.

Read Less