We Ain't dED Yet

"Britain has had its hand in wars and destruction for hundreds of years and it continues today. War is a business and the profits roll in no matter who is on the receiving end. We have to hold these corporations to account and art is one of our best weapons. I support Art The Arms Fair and the urgent need to keep blood stained money out of our educational institutions. We mustn’t let weapons companies legitimise themselves with nefarious donations." - Merny

https://mernywernz.com
@mernywernz

Merny or James Mernagh (b. 1990) is an artist based in Bristol, UK.  Originally from the North Yorkshire moors, Merny studied German Studies at the University of Manchester (UK) and Universität Leipzig (Germany). It was whilst living in Berlin after his studies that Merny began to focus on painting. 

Merny has exhibited in Mexico, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Themes of his work have included; subverting billboard and bus stop advertising spaces across Europe to undermine the large corporations and their narratives, the climate change catastrophe and its funding of Fossil Fuel Extraction from HSBC & Barclays, responding to BMW and their greenwashing campaigns and COVID-19. 

Merny cites many influences including Stephen Biesty, the prolific watercolorist and cross section artist, credited with inventing the exploded cross section in his books for Dorling Kindersley. Since 2020, Merny has had regular correspondence and mentorship from Stephen.  Merny also draws inspiration from artists such as Bhupen Khakar, David Hockney, Brian Eno, Neo Rauch, Leslie Ashwell Wood and Alexander Calder to name a few. 

EXHIBITIONS 

Boomtown Fair, Winchester, 2023 
Balter Festival, Chepstow, 2023 
Revolting Artists, Weymouth, 2023
People’s Art Fair, PRSC, Bristol, 2023 
395 Group Exhibition, 395, Bristol, 2023 
Zest For Life, Totterdown Canteen, Bristol 2022
BETWEEN THE LINES, Centrespace, Bristol, 2022 
Unreal Estates Online Exhibition, 2021 
Moi Non Plus Exhibition, Paris - 2021
The Farm, Bristol, Big Pharmer 2021
Ark Arrival, UK, 2021
Exotero & Yami Ichi present Traversing Borders, UK 2021
A Sad State Of Affairs, Grounded, Bristol, 2021
Lockdown Exhibition, Fitzrovia Circle, London, 2021
Winter Exhibition, Dragonfly Gallery, UK, 2021
MY TETRA, UK, HEIST, 2020 
UK NOR MAL Exhibition, Spongelheim Gallery, 2020
THE BLENDER, Foundation Mesh, Rotterdam, 2019
Board Of Art, Nottingham, 2019
Dirty Paradise Joseph Wales Gallery, Margate, 2019
"Take Break" with Billy, MINI Cult Bistro, Berlin, 2018
The Shrineing House of Vans, London, 2017
Buenas Nachos (solo), Bike A Way Berlin, 2017
What The Weekend Is, Alte Münze, Berlin, 2017
Wall Dialogue, Atea, Mexico City, 2017
Synapsis, Ink2Luum, Tulum, Mexico, 2017