On Art
For me, art is the expression of our consciousness. A kind of documentation of what it means to be alive and living at any given time. Not necessarily a mirror, but a window onto which we can understand someone’s experience with the world; what they figure as important, worthy of expression – externalisation. It is through externalisation that our spirit comes to know itself, in ways that other forms of expression can’t quite capture. For that is the power of art; its ability to transcend the boundaries of our shared symbolic world into that which is purely individual. And it is that power which grounds my passion for art broadly.
On Printmaking
I developed a passion for printmaking whilst I was at school. Starting with dry point copper plate etchings and then moving to steel. I fell in love with the entire process and its inherent uncertainties. You never truly know how each print would turn out; it is that mystery which always captured me. Whilst I do not create prints anymore, I have a fascination and deep admiration for viewing the skill and adeptness of other printmakers works.
Acquisition Philosophy
I specialise in post-war British and European etchings and works on paper. I aim to acquire works of genuine artistic distinction. Pieces that are contemplative, psychologically distinctive and formally inventive with a sensibility ranging freely from the figurative to the abstract.
Every acquisition is made against the following criteria. I seek well-inked impressions from small editions; plate marks should be crisp, margins generous and untrimmed, paper sound. No work is acquired without physical inspection. Full provenance and edition documentation are required: each work must be traceable to an artist's estate, a named collection, or a documented sale and edition integrity must be beyond doubt. I prioritise artists represented in major public collections or whose standing is established in the scholarly literature.
These are not merely commercial standards. They reflect a belief that the etching - more than almost any other medium - rewards close looking and that a fine impression, properly documented, is a record of a specific human encounter with the world. That is what I wish to find in the works I acquire and to pass on.
About Me
My name is James Parsonage. I am based in Manchester and have been collecting post-war British and European prints for several years, with a particular focus on etchings. I studied Philosophy, Politics & Economics at King's College London. My background in philosophy informs how I think about art - as expression, evidence and encounter.
J. Parsonage is an attempt to bring that sensibility to bear as a dealer, finding and placing works that deserve more attention than they currently receive.