BIO

James Jaxxa’s multi-faceted practice explores themes of courage, desire, liberation and pleasure through the creation of bedazzling metaphoric reliquaries and cathartic shrines. His work is influenced from growing up nomadically in a military family, Catholic iconography and queer culture.

He received his MFA from the School of Visual Arts, his BS from Michigan State University and completed post-baccalaureate work at School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Rhode Island School of Design. He has attended residencies at Barac (Mannheim, Germany), Museo Lacán Guazú (Dolores, Uruguay), R.A.R.O. (Barcelona, Spain) and Berlin Art Institute (Berlin, Germany).

Jaxxa’s work has been shown in numerous exhibitions across the United States and internationally including those at Terrain Biennial (Chicago and Vienna), New York Public Library, University of Nevada, Seattle Art Museum, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, Museo Maseo in Uruguay and others. His public artwork, Potential Connections was installed for the inauguration of Seattle’s Link Light Rail system. Jaxxa's work has been included in publications by The New York Times, Visual AIDS, New York Public Library and The Seattle Times. He was awarded an Artists Space Independent Project Grant.

Jaxxa is a founding member of I Found U, an international group of artists working across different materials and mediums, committed to discussion and collaboration on environmental, sociological and economic concerns. He lives and works in New York City.