James Sibley (b. 1999)

RA Collection: People and Organisations

James Sibley (b.1999, Crawley) previously studied at Goldsmiths University of London.

Drawing upon styles of making which intermittently haunt historical production, Sibley’s work presents itself as latent sets, props, object collections and writings, armed to explore the actualisation of history through its retellings. Thematic glimpses at the alternative futures posited by the American 60s, the fairground, English folklore and the theatre aim to scrutinise, poke fun at, and mourn the loss of historicity within contemporary culture at large. This emphasis on staging through thematic or physical misplacement permits glimpses beyond the set’s façade, unveiling the seams between backstage reality and viewer fantasy, enforcing his role as a ghost haunting the space.