Gary James McQueen - Gilded Skull I

Image courtesy of David Parry/PA Media Assignments.

Gilded Skull I, a limited-edition silkscreen collection

"When we created skulls at Alexander McQueen, they weren't just skulls they were part of a deeper story of life's fragility, beauty and transience."

– Gary James McQueen

Gilded Skull I is a new collection launched with Castle Fine Art honouring a form synonymous with McQueen

In this limited-edition collection of silkscreens, Gilded Skull I sees the artist translate one of his most recognisable early works, ‘Vanitas Skull’, alongside an extraordinary new design, into a collection of four hand-signed silkscreens for the first time. ‘Vanitas’, known from the BAFTA-nominated ‘McQueen’ film, is presented alongside the never-before-seen ‘Midas’ – both in two distinct colourways. Gary James McQueen pays tribute to what was a powerful emblem of storytelling for his uncle, adding his own signature ‘Midas touch’.

Alongside the new collection, Gary James McQueen will present his first digitally immersive exhibition at W1 Curates, a public art platform located at Flannels flagship store on Oxford Street. Using state-of-the-art screen technology, experience Gary James McQueen's work at a scale never seen before.

"There is an unmatched purity in gold. It's almost spiritual. It's not just about the monetary value, it's about how it resonates with humans"

– Gary James McQueen

View and purchase from Castle Fine Art

Midas Skulls

For the first time ever, Gary James McQueen has produced a limited edition hand signed silkscreen collection of prints.

Drawing inspiration from the legend of King Midas, these digitally sculpted skulls are adorned with golden flora set on a foundation of marble. They are a prelude to a new signature style - Form & Flora.

Available in two colour-ways, Ivory and Teal, each print has gone through an extensive fine art process including silkscreens, embossing, gold foiling and overprint.

"I really enjoyed working with traditional and pioneering print processes, which infused a very authentic and timeless feel. These techniques combine to deliver an outcome full of depth, texture and richness."

– Gary James McQueen

Hand signed
Edition size 95

Vanitas Skull

The original Vanitas Skull artwork was created as the hero image for the BAFTA nominated "McQueen" film, paying homage to Gary's uncle and mentor Alexander Lee McQueen.

It comprises a physical golden skull sculpture which was hand drawn and then digitally sculpted. The delicate flowers, birds and moths embedded in the skull work in unison to form an intricate and exotic experience. The flowers in full bloom inside the skull’s framework set a tone that is melancholic and romantic illuminating beauty in the mystical and macabre.

"I designed Vanitas Skull with my Uncle’s spirit in mind. He would have really appreciated its melancholic romance, the combination of ideas from different sources such as motifs and natural elements, and the use of pioneering 3D art technologies."

– Gary James McQueen

Hand signed
Edition size 95

Vanitas Gold

Hand signed

Limited-edition

Silkscreen

Embossed

Gold foil

Overprint

Digital exhibition @ W1 Curates

Experience Gary James McQueen's work like never before

Throughout March and alongside the new collection, Gary James McQueen will present his first digitally immersive exhibition at W1 Curates, a public art platform located at Flannels flagship store on Oxford Street

W1 Curates uses state-of-the-art screen technology to showcase some of the most influential artists from around the world. Gary James McQueen's Form & Flora free-to-view exhibition invites viewers into a multidimensional world of myth, antiquity and timeless elegance.

The show launches on 1st March and runs for the whole month

W1 Curates

161-167 Oxford Street, London W1 2JP

“I love to create fantasy worlds for people to step into mentally, but this exhibition is the closest I will come to inviting viewers in physically.

My art is all created digitally, so bringing it to life at such a huge scale has allowed me to explore the stories even further.

I can’t wait for people to experience it together in such an immersive way.”

- Gary James McQueen

New artwork, alongside a selection of early works, will be brought to life at a scale never seen before through the screens that wrap around the outside of the building, and within the immersive space inside.

The juxtaposition between the tactility of the silkscreen collection and the digital exhibition is a poignant testament to Gary James McQueen's creative and personal past, whilst marking the start of a new chapter in his artistic journey.