Jim Ricks

{{Infobox artist

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| name = Jim Ricks

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| birth_place = San Francisco, California, United States

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| nationality = United States,
Ireland

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| alma_mater = California College of the Arts,
National University of Ireland, Galway
Burren College of Art

| known_for = Poulnabrone Bouncy Dolmen, In Search of the Truth, Carpet Bombing

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| website = {{URL|jimricks.info}}

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Jim Ricks is an American–born Irish conceptual artist, writer, and curator. He has exhibited throughout Ireland and internationally, including a number of public art projects.{{Cite web|title=Future Artist-Maker Labs|url=http://futureartistmakers.org/artists/jim-ricks|access-date=2019-12-02|website=futureartistmakers.org}}

Early life and education

Ricks was born in San Francisco, California.{{Cite web|url=https://clarechampion.ie/ricks-takes-art-to-a-new-form/|title=Ricks takes art to a new form|date=2010-10-28|website=The Clare Champion|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-29}} He started painting graffiti in the early 1990s.{{Cite web|title=Graffiti warfare|url=https://www.jconline.com/story/news/2014/07/12/graffiti-warfare/12508177/|last=Chen|first=Wei-Huan|website=Journal & Courier|language=en|access-date=2020-05-25}} He studied photography and graduated from the California College of the Arts (2002), and received a Masters degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and Burren College of Art programme (2007).{{cite news|url=https://publicart.ie/main/directory/directory/view/the-poulnabrone-bouncy-dolmen/eaf04daaf5767eda45cc86e7e4278954/|title=The Poulnabrone Bouncy Dolmen|work=publicart|access-date=26 September 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://clarechampion.ie/ricks-takes-art-to-a-new-form|title=Ricks takes art to a new form|last1=Rainsford|first1=John|date=28 October 2010|work=The Clare Champion|access-date=26 September 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://clarechampion.ie/working-in-tandem-from-across-the-divide|title=Working in tandem from across the divide|date=14 March 2013|work=The Clare Champion|access-date=26 September 2018}}{{cite news|url=http://www.hughlane.ie/past/1016-sleepwalkers-jim-ricks|title=Sleepwalkers: Jim Ricks – Bubblewrap Game: Hugh Lane|date=31 October 2013|work=hughlane|access-date=26 September 2018|archive-date=14 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214215916/http://www.hughlane.ie/past/1016-sleepwalkers-jim-ricks|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |title=CCA alums at the heart of public art in NYC |url=https://www.cca.edu/newsroom/cca-alums-heart-public-art-nyc/ |access-date=2022-04-05 |website=CCA |language=en-US}}

Career

File:Jim Ricks – Así luce la Democracia, Mexico City, 2020.jpg, Mexico City, 2020]]

File:"Carpet Bombing" - Predator.jpg 2017.|alt=Drone imagery incorporated into the traditional method of Afghan carpet making.]]

File:Poulnabrone Bouncy Dolmem.jpg

File:Jim Ricks - In Search of the Truth – 2018.jpg with For Freedoms, 2018{{Cite web|title=150+ Artists and Billboard Locations Announced As Part of The Largest Public Art Project in U.S. History|url=https://www.artfixdaily.com/artwire/release/9752-150+-artists-and-billboard-locations-announced-as-part-of-the-lar|access-date=2020-11-28|website=ArtfixDaily|language=en}}]]

Ricks's work utilises appropriation, institutional critique, politics, and humour. He has had solo shows in the United States, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Mexico.{{Cite web|date=2018-10-08|title=Proyecto interactivo mundial de arte "En Busca de la Verdad" llega a la Plaza de la Democracia en Puebla - Puebla - Cultura|url=https://www.lajornadadeoriente.com.mx/puebla/arte-en-busca-de-la-verdad-plaza/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=La Jornada de Oriente|language=es-ES}}

Ricks was director of 126 Artist-run Gallery from 2007 to 2009, curating a number of shows and organizing exchanges with other artist-run spaces.{{Cite web|date=2013-04-06|title=Circa Art Magazine - Rayne Booth's blog - The year of the exchange (Friday 1 May 2009)|url=http://www.recirca.com/cgi-bin/mysql/show_item.cgi?post_id=4832&type=rbblog&ps=publish|access-date=2020-11-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406193044/http://www.recirca.com/cgi-bin/mysql/show_item.cgi?post_id=4832&type=rbblog&ps=publish|archive-date=6 April 2013}} With Stephanie Syjuco, he created knock-offs of work at the Frieze Art Fair in London, 2009.{{cite news|last1=Mahoney|first1=Donald|title=The Art of Imitation|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/the-art-of-imitation-1.761000|access-date=26 September 2018|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=23 October 2009}}{{cite news|last1=Syjuco|first1=Stephanie|title=Frieze-ing in London (pt 2): postface|url=https://openspace.sfmoma.org/2009/11/frieze-ing-in-london-pt-2-postface/|access-date=26 September 2018|work=SFMOMA|date=8 November 2009}}

In an ongoing body of work, "Jim Ricks has developed the method of synchro-materialism as a means to consider the territory where art meets capitalism", and he has used this methodology in exhibition, performance, and print since 2010.{{cite news|title=Jim Ricks—Synchromaterialism|url= http://pallasprojects.org/index.php/project/synchromaterialism|access-date=14 December 2018}}{{cite news|title=ALIEN INVADER SUPER BABY (SYNCHROMATERIALISM IV)|url=https://www.onomatopee.net/exhibition/alien-invader-super-baby-synchromaterialism-iv/|access-date=14 December 2018}} In 2015 he travelled to Afghanistan to make Carpet Bombing, a large traditionally made carpet featuring imagery of military drones – an updated version of Afghan's war rugs.{{cite news|last1=Salomone|first1=Andrew|title=This Handmade Rug Is a Drone Survival Guide|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/handmade-afghan-rug-drone-survival-guide/|access-date=26 September 2018|work=The Creators Project|date=23 August 2016}}{{Cite web|title=Despite its flaws, 'Age of Terror: Art since 9/11' is a timely reflection of artists' responses to conflict - DesignCurial|url=http://www.designcurial.com/news/age-of-terror-art-since-911-is-a-timely-reflection-6062170/|access-date=2021-01-26|website=www.designcurial.com}} He participated in the 2017 Ghetto Biennale, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.{{cite news|date=8 August 2017|title=Fifth Edition of Ghetto Biennale Announces Participating Artists|work=Artforum|url=https://www.artforum.com/news/fifth-edition-of-ghetto-biennale-announces-participating-artists-70221|access-date=17 December 2018}}

=Public projects=

Poulnabrone Bouncy Dolmen is a large inflatable sculpture designed for people to interact with and play on.{{cite news|last=Siggins|first=Lorna|date=28 August 2010|title='Bouncy dolmen' goes on show|newspaper=The Irish Times|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/bouncy-dolmen-goes-on-show-1.643681|access-date=26 September 2018}} It is a twice-the-size replica of a 6,000-year-old megalithic portal tomb, the Poulnabrone Dolmen situated in The Burren, County Clare. It traveled to venues around the Aughty Region of County Galway in June 2011 and was a Galway County Council project.{{cite news|date=19 August 2010|title=Bouncy megalith comes to the Aughtys|work=The Clare Champion|url=http://clarechampion.ie/bouncy-megalith-comes-to-the-aughtys/|access-date=26 September 2018}}{{cite news|last1=Higgins|first1=Charlotte|title=Glaswegian shoes come off for bouncy Stonehenge|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/charlottehigginsblog/2012/may/02/bouncy-stonehenge-glasgow|access-date=26 September 2018|work=The Guardian|date=2 May 2012}} Cristín Leach of The Sunday Times wrote:
"We need to start thinking more creatively about public art. Jim Ricks has. Poulnabrone Bouncy Dolmen... is a commentary on our past, our present, the concept of "brand Ireland" and the very idea of public art; and everyone is invited to bounce. A temporary, movable, witty, interactive, contemporary public artwork we are all invited to play with? [Alice] Maher has endorsed it as "the best public art piece...ever". She might just be right."{{cite news |last1=Leach |first1=Cristín |title=Let's hear it for the still, beating heart of our artistic landscape |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/lets-hear-it-for-the-still-beating-heart-of-our-artistic-landscape-xsp589q70qr |publisher=The Sunday Times |date=5 June 2011}}
The piece was also shown alongside Jeremy Deller's 2012 inflatable Stonehenge, Sacrilege, in Belfast,{{Cite journal|last=Murphy|first=Liz|date=18 May 2012|title=Karla, Jeremy and Margaret (my Mum)|url=https://issuu.com/anartistsinfo/docs/an_magazine_june_2012|journal=A-N Magazine|volume=#90, June 2012|pages=30|via=Issuu}} and was featured in the Royal Hibernian Academy exhibition Futures 12.{{cite news|title=Bouncy Tomb Tours Ireland|url=https://makezine.com/2011/07/08/bouncy_tomb_tours_ireland|access-date=26 September 2018|work=Make}}
Ricks is working on the long-term, global public art project In Search of the Truth (or En Busca de la Verdad ). It is a collaboration with Ryan Alexiev, Hank Willis Thomas .{{cite web| url = http://www.causecollective.com/projects/httpwww-insearchofthetruth-net/| title = IN SEARCH OF THE TRUTH {{!}} CAUSE COLLECTIVE}}{{cite web| url = http://insearchofthetruth.net/| title = In Search of the Truth}}{{Cite web|title=Jim Ricks|url=http://www.artnet.com/artists/jim-ricks/news|access-date=2019-11-29|website=artnet.com}} The New York Times writes: "The "Truth Booth," a roving, inflatable creation, in the shape of a cartoon word bubble with "TRUTH" in bold letters on its side, serves as a video confessional. Visitors are asked to sit inside and finish the politically and metaphysically loaded sentence that begins, "The truth is ..."".Randy Kennedy. [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/18/arts/design/political-art-in-a-fractious-election-year.html Political Art in a Fractious Election Year] "The New York Times", 17 July 2016 The project has travelled Ireland, Afghanistan, South Africa, Australia, the United States, and Mexico,{{cite news|date=8 May 2016|title=Cause Collective: In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth)|work=Public Art Fund|url=https://www.publicartfund.org/view/5391_public_programs/6081_cause_collective_in_search_of_the_truth_the_truth_booth|access-date=26 September 2018}}{{Cite news|last=Corcoran|first=Georgia|date=April 30, 2014|title=To tell the Truth|work=Visual Artists' News Sheet|url=https://issuu.com/visualartistsireland/docs/mar_apr_2014_complete/23}} recording and then exhibiting the thoughts of many people on the subject of truth in several countries.{{cite news|last1=Paul|first1=Laster|title=Art Basel Visitors Tell All in Hank Willis Thomas' 'Truth Booth'|url=https://observer.com/2014/12/art-basel-visitors-tell-all-in-hank-willis-thomass-truth-booth/|access-date=26 September 2018|work=The Observer|date=12 August 2014}}{{cite news|title=In Search of the Truth: The Truth Booth by Cause Collective|url=https://bombmagazine.org/articles/in-search-of-the-truth-the-truth-booth|access-date=26 September 2018|work=Bomb|date=22 November 2013}}{{cite news|title=In Search of the Truth (The Truth Booth)|url=https://www.giaf.ie/events/view/in-search-of-the-truth-the-truth-booth|access-date=26 September 2018|work=Galway International Arts Festival|date=24 July 2011}}
Life's a Beach (Art imitates life), Gable end mural responding to the political Murals in Northern Ireland, Abercorn Rd., Derry, Northern Ireland, April 2016{{cite news|last=Quinn|first=Andrew |title=Abercorn Road Mural Unveiled|url=https://www.derryjournal.com/news/abercorn-road-mural-unveiled-1-7368644|access-date=26 September 2018|work=Derry Journal|date=6 May 2016}}
Sesiones Publicas, San Agustín, La Lisa, Cuba, a LASA project, August 2017.{{cite web|url=http://lasa-cuba.blogspot.com/2017/08/jim-ricks-estados-unidosirlandamexico.html|title=Jim Ricks (Estados Unidos/Irlanda/México)|website=LASA|date=11 August 2017}}
He helped to restore the Albert Power (sculptor) sculpture in County Galway, Ireland.{{Cite web |last=McMahon |first=Páraic |date=2024-08-10 |title=Christ the King statue restored to former glory in Gort |url=https://www.clareecho.ie/christ-the-king-statue-restored-to-former-glory-in-gort/ |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=Clare Echo |language=en-GB}}

=Museum projects=

Ricks was involved in a 2 year project, Sleepwalkers (2012–15), at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin. Six artists were invited to an "unusual experiment in exhibition production".{{cite news|title=Sleepwalkers: Production as Process|url=http://www.hughlane.ie/past/720-sleepwalkers-production-as-process|access-date=14 December 2018 }} Ricks's contributions included an unauthorised exhibition, a curated open call (Future Perfect),{{Cite web |title=Sleepwalkers: Future Perfect |url=https://hughlane.ie/whats_on/sleepwalkers-future-perfect/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=Hugh Lane |language=en-GB}} a solo show (Bubblewrap Game: Hugh Lane),{{Cite web |title=Sleepwalkers: Jim Ricks – Bubblewrap Game: Hugh Lane |url=https://hughlane.ie/whats_on/sleepwalkers-jim-ricks-bubblewrap-game-hugh-lane/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=Hugh Lane |language=en-GB}} and closing event and performances.{{Cite web |title=Everything must go now |url=https://hughlane.ie/whats_on/everything-must-go-now-2/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=Hugh Lane |language=en-GB}} Aidan Dunne of the Irish Times describes Ricks's offerings as a "curatorial process of selection and validation, making a museum within the museum comprising works from the real collection, artworks borrowed from elsewhere, non-art objects from flea markets and a commissioned copy of an Ed Ruscha painting." During the programme, he also included works by Richard Hamilton (artist), James Barry, Jeremy Deller, Gerard Dillon, Robert Ballagh, :fr:Raphaël_Zarka, and James Hanley.{{Cite web |title=Sleepwalkers |url=https://hughlane.wordpress.com/ |access-date=2020-11-28 |website=Sleepwalkers |language=en}}Edited by Dempsey, Michael, and Logan Sisley. Sleepwalkers. Dublin: Hugh Lane Gallery and Ridinghouse, 2015. {{ISBN|9781905464982}}

Ricks was part of Age of Terror: Art since 9/11 at the Imperial War Museum, London, 2018–19.{{Cite web |last=Rae |first=Cormac |date=February 21, 2018 |title=Despite its flaws, 'Age of Terror: Art since 9/11' is a timely reflection of artists' responses to conflict |url=https://www.designcurial.com/news/age-of-terror-art-since-911-is-a-timely-reflection-6062170/ |access-date=August 4, 2024 |website=DesignCurial}}

He exhibited work made in Afghanistan with Ryan Alexiev, Hank Willis Thomas, and Najeebullah Najeeb at the Trotsky Museum in Mexico City in 2022.{{Cite web |title=EXPOSICIONES |url=http://museotrotsky.org.mx/testimonials_1.html |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=museotrotsky.org.mx}}{{Cite web |last=Museos |first=De |title=Entrevista {{!}} Los caminos de la verdad de Jim Ricks |url=https://demuseos.mx/f/entrevista-%7C-los-caminos-de-la-verdad-de-jim-ricks |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230405015005/https://demuseos.mx/f/entrevista-{{pipe}}-los-caminos-de-la-verdad-de-jim-ricks |archive-date=2023-04-05 |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=De Museos |language=es-MX}}

= Solo exhibitions =

2010 – Synchromaterialism, Pallas Contemporary Projects, Dublin, Ireland
2013–2014 – Bubble Wrap Game: The Hugh Lane, Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, Ireland{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art-and-design/visual-art/sleepwalkers-artistic-experiments-in-biting-the-hand-that-feeds-1.2120477|title=Sleepwalkers: Artistic experiments in biting the hand that feeds|last=Dunne|first=Aidan|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2019-11-29}}
2015 – Alien Invader Super Baby (Synchromaterialism IV) Onomatopee, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
2016–2017 – Centro de Ontología Nacional, Casa Maauad, Mexico City, Mexico{{Cite web|title=MutualArt.com - The Web's Largest Art Information Service.|url=https://www.mutualart.com/Exhibition/Jim-Ricks--Centro-de-Ontologia-Nacional-/FEA05971FF0E5430|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.mutualart.com|language=en}}
2018 – Museo Ambulante Sebastián, Mexico City, Mexico{{Cite web|url=https://www.latempestad.mx/jim-ricks-sebastian/|title=Jim Ricks reinterpreta a Sebastián|date=28 May 2018|language=es|access-date=2019-03-11}}
2020 – Así Luce la Democracia | This is What Democracy Looks Like, Galeria Daniela Elbahara, Mexico City, Mexico{{Cite web|url=https://www.art-agenda.com/features/319866/mexico-city-roundup|title=Mexico City roundup - Features - art-agenda|website=www.art-agenda.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-14}}{{Cite web|url=https://revistacodigo.com/arte/exposicion-galeria-daniela-elbahara/|title=Así luce la democracia: la exposición de Jim Ricks en la galería Daniela Elbahara|website=revistacodigo.com|language=es|access-date=2020-03-14}}
2021–2022 – El camino a París y Londres pasa por las aldeas de Afganistán, Leon Trotsky Museum, Mexico City{{Cite web |last=Museos |first=De |title=Entrevista {{!}} Los caminos de la verdad de Jim Ricks |url=https://demuseos.mx/f/entrevista-%7C-los-caminos-de-la-verdad-de-jim-ricks |access-date=2022-03-22 |website=De Museos |language=es-MX}}

Bibliography

Ricks, Jim (Editor), Artist-run democracy: sustaining a model, 15 years of 126 gallery, Eindhoven: Onomatopee, 2022. ISBN 9789493148734{{Cite web |title=Artist-run democracy: sustaining a model {{!}} Onomatopee |url=https://www.onomatopee.net/exhibition/artist-run-democracy-sustaining-a-model/#publication_18425 |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=www.onomatopee.net}}
de Búrca, Ella, Michaële Cutaya, Jim Ricks. IRLDADA: 201916. Mexico City: Black Crown Press, 2019. {{ISBN|9780578546940|}} {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m98AyAEACAAJ|title=Irldada: 201916|last1=Ricks|first1=Jim|last2=Cutaya|first2=Michaële|last3=Búrca|first3=Ella de|date=2019-09-21|publisher=Black Crown Press|isbn=9780578546940|language=en}}
Ricks, Jim. Alien Invader Super Baby (Synchromaterialism VI). Eindhoven: Onomatopee, 2018. {{ISBN|9789491677755}}
Packer, Matt, Declan Long, and Jim Ricks. "Here Comes The Summer", Derry: Centre for Contemporary Art Derry~Londonderry, 2017.
Bossan, Enrico. 2016 an image of Ireland : contemporary artists from Ireland. Crocetta del Montello: Antiga edizioni, 2016. {{ISBN|9788899657185}}
Edited by Michael Dempsey and Logan Sisley. Sleepwalkers. Dublin: Hugh Lane Gallery and Ridinghouse, 2015. {{ISBN|9781905464982}}