James Rhodes uses an experimental approach that combines silver gelatin printing with painting and other printmaking techniques to discover narratives around his subject matter, occasionally supporting his primary practice with sculpture and video. Many of the motifs used in his works stem from photographic tropes and marks inherent in traditional printing processes. In 2022, Rhodes earned a Ph.D. that examined the meaning of materiality in photographic practice. He is currently a teacher at Newcastle Art School and has held a position on the board at Newcastle Art Space, lectured at the University of Newcastle, and worked on the art installation teams at Newcastle Art Gallery, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, and Gosford Regional Art Gallery.
The specific concepts Rhodes explores are dependent on the body of work. Creating individual bodies of work is important to Rhodes as it allows him to process his experience of the world. They reveal parts of his mind to himself and are only completed when he feels the concept is resolved. Ambiguity plays a large role in his work and is central to his ideas. Meaning in a work is already ambiguous, Rhodes leans into this by allowing the audience to project their context onto the work without assuming their emotional, cultural, and academic knowledge. The signs and symbols carry a weight that is inescapable yet inherently attached to each individual viewer's perspective.
He has been a finalist in many art prizes, including the MAC Yapang Art Prize (2025), Waverley Art Prize (2024), Gosford Art Prize (2023/24/25), Muswellbrook Art Prize (2022), and Kings School Art Prize (2021). He holds solo exhibitions yearly in Galleries such as Wester Gallery (2025/26) PhotoAccess in Canberra (2024), Straitjacket Art Space in Newcastle (2023), and the University of Newcastle Gallery (2021).
