James Baker
portrait 118
2008
A unique single-color (Prussian blue) silkscreen print,hand-retouched with a solid layer of transparent neon pink on paper,signed,dated,and numbered 1/1
51 × 69 cm
Unique
Location: Paris, France
About the artwork
portrait 118,dated 2008,is documented as A unique single-color (Prussian blue) silkscreen print,hand-retouched with a solid layer of transparent neon pink on paper,signed,dated,and numbered 1/1,measuring 51 × 69 cm. The corresponding main image shows a cropped animal head,likely a dog,split by blue-black and red painted interventions on a light ground. The composition is organised through the relationship between the central motif and the surrounding field,with the support remaining visibly relevant to the final appearance. Colour,outline,printed information,spray marks,drips,repeated forms or handwritten interventions are described only where they can be seen in the supplied image.
The material description indicates that the work was produced through a unique single-color (prussian blue) silkscreen print,hand-retouched with a solid layer of transparent neon pink on paper,signed,dated,and numbered 1/1. This technique helps explain the distinction between mechanically transferred areas and direct manual intervention,where present. The image supplied is sufficient to describe the overall composition,palette and principal motifs,but it should not be treated as confirmation of details that require a close-up or reverse view. The supplied note records the work as signed,numbered,accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. The manifest records the edition information as Ed. / 1. Any information concerning the back,labels,stamps,certificate,exact placement of a signature or the physical condition derives from the written documentation rather than from an assumed visual reading. No additional narrative elements have been introduced beyond the visible image and the manifest.
Expert opinion
From a cataloguing perspective,portrait 118 is best positioned within printmaking and the translation of street-derived imagery into a controlled,editioned format. Its assessment should begin with the verified object type: A unique single-color (Prussian blue) silkscreen print,hand-retouched with a solid layer of transparent neon pink on paper,signed,dated,and numbered 1/1,dated 2008,and a work documented as Ed. / 1. These factors determine how the work should be compared with other examples. An original drawing,hand-finished proof,prototype,unique variant or sculpture should not be evaluated according to the same criteria as a regular numbered edition,even when the imagery is closely related.
The work’s relevance lies in the connection between its physical manufacture and the visual codes of urban culture. Where the support carries pre-existing information,where the surface includes aerosol,marker,drips or hand-applied colour,or where a printed image is individually modified,these characteristics contribute to its specificity. Edition size,numbering,signature and dating are therefore material catalogue points rather than promotional attributes. The note mentions a certificate of authenticity. No separate provenance statement is included in the manifest. Condition should be assessed directly,with particular attention to paper edges,folds,abrasions,mounting,surface cracking,frame contact and any difference between the written dimensions and the object itself. No conclusion regarding price,auction performance,rarity or future value is made from the available documentation.
About the artist
James Baker is an American contemporary artist whose work combines figurative imagery with the graphic language of printmaking and urban art. His compositions transform recognizable subjects through bold contrasts, layered imagery, expressive colour, and painterly interventions.
During the late 2000s, Baker’s work appeared within the British contemporary urban art scene, notably in connection with Steal From Work and its 12 Days of Xmas exhibition in Bristol. Works from this period include unique compositions centred on animal imagery, such as Hyena Scream (2008), demonstrating his interest in combining figurative representation with the immediacy and visual impact of screenprinting.
Baker’s practice reflects the crossover between contemporary printmaking, street art, and graphic culture that characterized the independent urban art scene of the late 2000s.
Additional info
Signed
Certificate
3x
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