James Vaulkhard: The Sublime & The Consumed
11th April, 2025 – 9th May, 2025
Blond Contemporary
7 Piccadilly Arcade
SW1 6NH
In a thoughtful and quietly striking exhibition at Blond Contemporary, the Kenyan-born artist James Vaulkhard presents The Sublime & The Consumed, a body of work shaped by an extensive journey across the United States. Curated by MC Llamas, this is Vaulkhard’s first solo show at the London gallery.
In late 2024, Vaulkhard travelled more than 5,000 miles across America, inspired by the ideals of the Hudson River School — a group of 19th-century painters and writers who sought to capture the majesty and spiritual power of the natural world. But where those earlier artists encountered unspoilt wilderness, Vaulkhard found a landscape marked by human ambition, ecological strain, and political uncertainty.
The works on display, rendered in pastel on wooden panels, are modest in scale but rich in atmosphere. They recall the sweeping vistas of American romanticism, yet they carry a different weight. Golden plains give way to darkened edges; vibrant skies are interrupted by subtle signs of intervention. Vaulkhard’s use of colour is expressive, almost lyrical, but never sentimental. There is a persistent unease beneath the surface, as if the land itself is bearing witness to a long, slow transformation.
Rather than celebrate the sublime, Vaulkhard questions its meaning in the present day. His paintings reflect a world where natural beauty remains, but its permanence can no longer be taken for granted. The contrast between light and shadow — between promise and erosion — forms the emotional core of the exhibition.
While the Hudson River painters sought to inspire awe and national pride, Vaulkhard offers a more ambiguous vision: one that acknowledges beauty, but also reckons with the cost of its exploitation. The American landscape here is not an idealised backdrop, but a charged and contested space.
Blond Contemporary, known for its philosophically driven curatorial approach, continues its commitment to presenting politically and culturally engaged art. In The Sublime & The Consumed, Vaulkhard delivers a quietly powerful meditation on land, legacy, and the complex interplay between reverence and ruin.
James Vaulkhard: The Sublime & The Consumed opens on the 11th of April, 2025 until the 9th of May, 2025 at Blond Contemporary
©2025 Blond Contemporary
Art Plugged is a contemporary platform inspired by a relationship with the broader arts communities. We provide our audience with curated insight into the world of art, from exhibitions to artist interviews and more.
