ARTURb 2025 > Guest artist > James Klinge (SCT)
James Klinge (b. 1983) is an artist from Glasgow, Scotland, who brings an exciting contemporary approach to traditional forms of portraiture and figurative painting, specializing in a technique using hand-cut templates and spray paint.
The figures in his works seek to tell a story, whether with historical influences or based on the present day, through his unique style and execution – not only in his works on canvas, but also in his ability to work on a large scale in his mural creations.
Previously, Klinge worked successfully anonymously under the pseudonym “Klingatron”, a name he decided to abandon in early 2016 for personal and professional reasons. At this point, his work underwent a significant change, bringing a combination of minutia and detail from working with molds, complemented by what he describes as a “controlled chaos” of expressive marks made with a spatula. Despite being inspired by the classical masters of figurative painting, Klinge has dedicated the last two decades to developing his mastery of spray paint, manipulating it in a unique and unprecedented way. As a result, his figurative and portrait paintings leave the viewer amazed at the texture and impressive marks, giving the feeling of being in an oil painting rather than a spray painting.
It is thanks to this unparalleled execution that James Klinge has been exhibiting his works internationally for the last two decades.
Financed by: Ministério da Cultura, Juventude e Desporto / Direção-Geral das Artes, ALGARVE2030 e Município de Lagos
Sponsors and Media Partners: Barlavento, CIN, Correio de Lagos, Street Art Cities, Tapumarte, Marina de Lagos
