This edition of The Window has been curated by James McKay.

James McKay was born in Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, but managed to get out around 40 or so years before it became an Immigration Detention Centre. He then led a life which included a happy childhood in Canberra, Sydney, Perth and then Canberra again, where he gradually discovered art, big time.

Although his exhibited work is restricted to a surprise inclusion at the Art Express Year 12 exhibition of the class of 1990 at the Art Gallery of NSW, and an equally surprising sell-out show of works constructed out of his ex-house mate’s cosmetics collection at his share house in Canberra in the late 90s, McKay went on to dabble in the fine arts, putting together a collaboration with photographer Martin Mischkulnig featuring works and portraits of Collector identities.

Around that time, in the mid-2000s, McKay, along with Phillippa Kelly, stitched together an en-plein air painting weekend around the shores of Lake George (Weewera) featuring a range of invited artists including Jenny Bell, Lucy Culliton, Mandy Martin, Mclean Edwards, Leo Robba and Ruth Waller, which culminated in a show at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery.

Since then, McKay has focused his attention on grounds and maintenance at a property in Collector, which occasionally hosts artists in residence suggested by the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery.

James McKay has selected this work for his edition of 'The Window'

Guy Warren, AM
(Car Drawing), Coming into Bungendore and Lake George, 1992
Oil stick on paper
81.5 x 98.5cm
Donated by artist through Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme