James Clarkson's work explores the different scales of the technology and coded language of data management. Clarkson is interested in how the abstract language of data management carries and imposes a visual order on the functioning of society. Data infrastructures are often referred to in terms of invisibility, but they actually rely heavily on aesthetics to convey the idea that it is possible to run the world, and capital, smoothly. The arrows, numbers and codes, in Clarkson's work, surpass their assumed categories under the universal language of economy. The result is an artistic language that cannot be reduced to information and treated like currency.

James Clarkson was the recipient of the 2019-2021 Freelands Foundation Artist Platform, in partnership with Site Gallery, and received the 2020 Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award. He was also a participant of Syllabus VI, which is an independent alternative art school organised by Wysing Arts Centre, Eastside Projects, Iniva Arts, Spike Island and Studio Voltaire.

Selected solo exhibitions include; K-House, Bloc Projects, Sheffield (2021); Smooth Flow, The Tetley, Leeds (2014); Pavilion, David Dale Gallery, Glasgow (2012); Twin Tone Lustre, DREI, Cologne (2013); A Painted Sun as a Yellow Spot, Rod Barton Gallery, London (2012)

Selected group exhibitions include; Private Song, Doosan Arts Centre, Seoul (2020); The Coventry Biennial, Coventry (2019); The Collection Stripped Bare, The Lab’Bel Collection, Paris (2016); Return Journey, Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno (2014); About Sculpture, Rolando Anselmi, Berlin (2014); Graphic Design, Futura Project, Prague (2014)