James Fox (art historian)
Encyclopedia
Dr James Fox is a British
art historian and broadcaster. Fox is a Research Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
, and specializes in 20th century art at the University of Cambridge
's History of Art Department.
Fox received a starred first class degree in History of Art
from Emmanuel College, Cambridge
. He then undertook an MPhil on British modernism
, and a PhD
on history of art entitled "Business Unusual: Art in Britain During the First World War, 1914–18," both at the University of Cambridge and funded by the AHRC
. In 2009, he was appointed as a Research Fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge
. He joined Gonville and Caius College in 2010.
He has been a visiting scholar at Harvard University
and the Yale Center for British Art
at Yale University
.
In 2008, Fox curated (with British art critic Waldemar Januszczak
) the Statuephilia exhibition at the British Museum
; this included work by Damien Hirst
, Antony Gormley
and Marc Quinn
.
Fox presents documentaries on art for the BBC
. In 2010, he presented the ninety-minute film The Art of Cornwall. In his introduction to the programme, Fox says of the St Ives' artists, "they went on to produce some of the most exhilarating art of the twentieth century...for a few dazzling years this place was as famous as Paris
, as exciting as New York
and infinitely more progressive than London
."
A three-part series entitled British Masters
was broadcast on BBC Four
in July 2011. Fox's provocative approach divided critics: The Times
called the series 'superb television... passionate, accessible and authoritative'; and The Observer
called him 'absurdly lucid', and the Financial Times
called it 'excellent' and engaging' But John Preston criticised its 'grandiose, inflammatory statements' and Fisun Güner called Fox's revisionist approach 'ludicrous'.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
art historian and broadcaster. Fox is a Research Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college is often referred to simply as "Caius" , after its second founder, John Keys, who fashionably latinised the spelling of his name after studying in Italy.- Outline :Gonville and...
, and specializes in 20th century art at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
's History of Art Department.
Fox received a starred first class degree in History of Art
History of art
The History of art refers to visual art which may be defined as any activity or product made by humans in a visual form for aesthetical or communicative purposes, expressing ideas, emotions or, in general, a worldview...
from Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
. He then undertook an MPhil on British modernism
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
, and a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
on history of art entitled "Business Unusual: Art in Britain During the First World War, 1914–18," both at the University of Cambridge and funded by the AHRC
AHRC
AHRC can refer to:* Asian Human Rights Commission* Arts and Humanities Research Council* Association for the Help of Retarded Children* American Homeowners Resource Center* Australian Human Rights Commission...
. In 2009, he was appointed as a Research Fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.In 1958, a Trust was established with Sir Winston Churchill as its Chairman of Trustees, to build and endow a college for 60 fellows and 540 Students as a national and Commonwealth memorial to Winston Churchill; its...
. He joined Gonville and Caius College in 2010.
He has been a visiting scholar at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and the Yale Center for British Art
Yale Center for British Art
The Yale Center for British Art is an art museum in New Haven, Connecticut at Yale University which houses the most comprehensive collection of British Art outside the United Kingdom...
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
In 2008, Fox curated (with British art critic Waldemar Januszczak
Waldemar Januszczak
Waldemar Januszczak is a British art critic. Formerly the art critic of The Guardian, he now writes for The Sunday Times, and has twice won the Critic of the Year award...
) the Statuephilia exhibition at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
; this included work by Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...
, Antony Gormley
Antony Gormley
Antony Mark David Gormley OBE RA is a British sculptor. His best known works include the Angel of the North, a public sculpture in the North of England, commissioned in 1995 and erected in February 1998, Another Place on Crosby Beach near Liverpool, and Event Horizon, a multi-part site...
and Marc Quinn
Marc Quinn
Marc Quinn is a British artist and part of the group known as Britartists or YBAs . He is known for Alison Lapper Pregnant , Self , and Garden .He is one of the Young British...
.
Fox presents documentaries on art for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. In 2010, he presented the ninety-minute film The Art of Cornwall. In his introduction to the programme, Fox says of the St Ives' artists, "they went on to produce some of the most exhilarating art of the twentieth century...for a few dazzling years this place was as famous as Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, as exciting as New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and infinitely more progressive than London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
."
A three-part series entitled British Masters
British Masters (TV series)
British Masters is a three-part BBC television series on 20th century British art, presented by Dr James Fox and first broadcast in July 2011 on BBC Four...
was broadcast on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
in July 2011. Fox's provocative approach divided critics: The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
called the series 'superb television... passionate, accessible and authoritative'; and The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
called him 'absurdly lucid', and the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
called it 'excellent' and engaging' But John Preston criticised its 'grandiose, inflammatory statements' and Fisun Güner called Fox's revisionist approach 'ludicrous'.