“Journey”

Raph James

8th October - 19th October

Artist Statement

Raph James introduces a thought provoking, visually compelling and deeply personal work that pays homage to her evolution as an artist.

James is an intersectional practitioner, combining her signature linear abstract artistry with her identity as Samoan/Pākeha, and her lived experience as a trans woman. Though James’s art practice has developed with time and experience the narratives of culture, identity and her deep desire to self-reflect has led the charge for her most recent work, Journey.   

These six works reveal the significance of exhale and release. It chronicles the strokes of a life in motion while examining grief, death and rebirth. In 2022, James became the primary caregiver for her sick Aunty Mary back in Aotearoa. It was a time filled with process and contemplation, which culminated in loss.

Journey was created out of the grief that James experienced. But to fully realise her collection, she needed to metamorphosize her way out of the sorrow and pour her artistic vision into a body of work that also communicated her dreams, her memories and the pursuit of joy.

James reveals that working through Journey not only helped her heal but it reinvigorated her artistic expression in a more authentic and intentional way. Bringing her closer to her craft and herself.

James recognizes that the exposition of her works may be structured and defined, intimate and intricate. “The imperfections and the mistakes, in the linear work, is all about letting go”. Of the grief, of perfection. And, of the things that were holding her back. Journey is her inevitable rebirth.

James is drawn to architecture, music and nostalgia. Her work pushes the boundaries of traditional abstraction by masterfully combining (im)perfect lines and vibrant colours, creating a community of pieces that captivate the viewer's imagination while inviting you in, to experience the story. Her story. 
Statement courtesy of: Ramon Te Wake

Artist Biography

Raph James is a compelling and evocative artist whose practice centres on linear abstraction—a dialogue between precision, rhythm, and emotion. Her works feature deliberate lines and vivid colour fields that explore movement, balance, and spatial harmony. Through abstraction, James transforms structure into contemplation, inviting viewers to experience both order and fluidity.

Her process blends control with intuition, using line and form to express the subtleties of human connection and transformation. Each composition reflects her curiosity about how geometry and feeling can coexist within the same visual language.

A trans woman based in Naarm (Melbourne), James draws from her New Zealand Polynesian heritage to infuse her work with cultural resonance and identity. Her linear abstractions become metaphors for belonging.

@raphjamesartist

www.raphjames.com

All artworks featured in this catalogue are available for purchase directly through the artist. Please see link below.