It Is What It Is

Hand-signed Mixed Media Limited Edition Artwork by James McQueen.

In his new 2025 Untold Stories collection, James McQueen rewrites the narrative, reclaims the margins and strips away what doesn’t belong. Exploring what remains when we take control of the final draft and reject the expected, the storytelling is on the artist’s terms. Cool, unapologetic and fiercely self-authored, the artwork plays on cultural tropes, the raw truth of reality and the fantasy of freedom, giving voice to boundaries that often go unspoken.

A rejection of forced optimism, ‘It Is What It Is’ rejects excuses and sweetening the truth. It’s bold, honest, and unfiltered. Full of resignation and honesty, the artwork invites the viewer to see the beauty in embracing reality as it is – no more, no less.

McQueen carefully crafts the design to complement each phrase. The artist’s affection for classic paperbacks resonates through the collection intertwined with familiar motifs from contemporary art. This alongside the storytelling titles, allows McQueen to weave narratives through his characteristic colours and richly layered surfaces

From Damien Hirst’s clinical dots to Jackson Pollock’s chaotic gestures, each piece transforms a familiar aesthetic into a statement of resistance, self-definition or sharp humour.

“I want to celebrate books as treasured objects and the deep affection we have with them. I want the viewer to create their own stories and make their own unique connections to each title.”

This artwork is a hand-signed mixed media limited edition on Somerset Satin 410gsm Paper by James McQueen, and it's also available in a set of five. 

Find out more about Untold Stories or alternatively shop more James McQueen art.