James Nares
1953–
Introduction
Born in London, active in New York City since 1974; Nares was a part of the East Village art scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and made several films in this milieu from 1978-1981. She played guitar in the Contortions and percussion in the Del-Byzanteens, two downtown 'No Wave' groups active at this time, and founded CoLab (Collaborative Projects, Inc.). Her paintings are abstract, usually large-scale, consisting of lone gestural strokes achieved with brushes the artist fabricates himself. She has also used mechanical means for creating works, including a rotating drum on which he attaches supports for drawings. In 2019, Nares went public with her identity as a transgender woman, and changed her artist name in 2024.
Country of birth
United Kingdom
Roles
Artist, cinematographer, musician, painter, photographer, video artist
ULAN identifier
500110769
Names
Jamie Nares, Jim Nares
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed July 10, 2026.