SYDNEY.- Sullivan+Strumpf announced the representation of one of Naarm / Melbourne’s most exciting young multi-media artists, James Lemon; whose constantly evolving practice has us – and a growing audience of curators and collectors, eagerly awaiting his next chapter. Over recent years Lemon has garnered increasing attention, arising from his diverse cutting-edge commissions and collaborations. He is renowned for his typically colourful, highly textural, creations, frequently imbued with reflections on religion, pop culture and insects. But then again, not always…

From ceramic objects to large-scale sculptural works and interactive installations, we are excited to see to see his new commission for Melbourne Now in March and his first Sydney show in May 2023. James Lemon was born in Aotearoa / New Zealand in 1993 and moved to Naarm / Melbourne in 2012.

He has exhibited multiple times for Melbourne Design Week and developed exclusive collections for the National Gallery of Victoria [NGV] and Heide MOMA Design stores. Earlier this year he was commissioned to create a major installation for the opening of the new Ace Hotel Sydney – part of the world-renowned global Ace Hotel Chain, and the company’s first facility in the southern hemisphere. 2022 also marked Lemon’s first major acquisition, for the NGV collection.

And he was recently announced as a commissioned artist for the NGV’s Melbourne Now 2023. Part playground and part photobooth, Lemon’s participatory work Swarming will invite audiences to learn about the importance and fragility of bee life. Combining ceramics, painting, textiles, and digital media in an ultraviolet hive of activity, featuring playfully interactive soft pupae forms. Don’t miss it at the Ian Potter Centre, March 24 to August 20.




A selection of Lemon’s works will be included in Sullivan+Strumpf’s annual group shows – presented in both their Melbourne and Sydney galleries in January/ February 2023. In May 2023 he will make his solo exhibition debut at Sullivan+Strumpf Sydney, marking his first major Sydney showing.

Sullivan+Strumpf’s first Melbourne signing since announcing the upcoming launch of their new Collingwood gallery, James Lemon joins the ranks of some of Australia and the Asia Pacific’s leading contemporary artists, amongst them fellow Melbournians Dane Lovett, Darren Sylvester, Polly Borland, Sam Jinx, Sam Leach and Yvette Coppersmith.

Designed by Fitzroy-based Flack Studio, Sullivan+Strumpf Melbourne is set to open on Thursday November 10, 2022, with a major solo exhibition by acclaimed Indigenous contemporary artist Tony Albert.

James Lemons’ ceramic wares are tactile, dynamic objects that traverse art and design contexts. They uniquely reflect his humour, physical gestures and broader social and philosophical concerns. His typically colourful, highly textural and sometimes slapstick works include references to religion, pop culture, insects and global ceramic forms. While he primarily works with clay, he often embeds other objects such as bricks, precious stones and discarded ephemera to develop his expressive, sculptural vernacular. He is also known for his creation of content on social media. His performative or comedic approach to this digital space reflects his ruminations upon daily life and aids in generating ideas in his studio.

James has collaborated with a range of institutions and individuals in diverse settings. He has developed exclusive collections for the respective design stores of The National Gallery of Victoria and Heide MOMA. He has exhibited multiple times for Melbourne Design Week. He has featured in publications such as Waller Paper Magazine, The National Gallery of Victoria Magazine, Architectural Digest, Vogue Living, Vault Magazine, The Design Files, Yellow Trace, Real Living Magazine, The Journal of Australian Ceramics and Broadsheet.

He is also an active member of the arts community, routinely teaching workshops and masterclasses in his studio and showroom. His work is represented by Sullivan+Strumpf in Sydney and Melbourne. He is represented in the permanent collection of The National Gallery of Victoria.