In this new group of work, James Middleton tackles portraits of legendary figures and cultural icons with Warholian confidence. Oscillating between portraiture and abstraction, his work embraces, yet challenges the traditions of painting with an exploration of contemporary practices and observations. He combines traditional techniques such as impasto and chiaroscuro with bold strokes and idiosyncratic details that disrupt, yet brim with freshness and vitality. In the spirit of Impressionism, he is more concerned with emotional and atmospheric triggers than narrative descriptions. "I tried to find ways of making the portraits engaging. I wanted them to have an excitement that captivates, while retaining a resemblance. I also wanted them to be conversation pieces with some kind of narrative open to interpretation.".