Great Art Explained is a new book by James Payne, the creator of the hugely popular YouTube channel of the same name, in which he explores 30 masterpieces from across art history.
22 September 2025
The last time we saw Wallace Chan’s work was in the Docklands in London when he showed ten of his large-scale titanium and iron sculptures in an exhibition titled “A Dialogue Between Materials and Time, Titans XIV”.
8 May 2022
Great Art Cities Explained (GACE) follows the successful YouTube art history series Great Art Explained in 15 Minutes, founded last year by art writer and curator James Payne.
29 April 2022
Even if you don’t know Robert Indiana’s name, you know his most popular work, LOVE. Cited as the most known artwork in the world, it is, in fact so famous that many people may not even realise it’s an artwork at all.
10 March 2022
The performance artist Leigh Bowery died of AIDS-related illness on New Year’s Eve 1994 at only 33 years old. He didn’t tell anyone he was sick – except his best friend, Sue Tilley. When she asked him what she should tell people when he died, he said: “Tell them I’ve gone to Papua New Guinea”.
13 January 2022
Following the wildly successful YouTube art history series Great Art Explained in 15 Minutes, founded last year by art writer and curator James Payne, a new art and travel series has launched. Great Art Cities Explained, a collaboration from PayneShurvell gallery owners, James Payne and Joanne Shurvell, will run concurrently on the same channel.
19 November 2021
James Payne has been to Paris to see Christo’s wrapping of L’Arc de Triomphe.
Napoléon’s monument to himself has been turned into a memento mori for our times, and Le petit caporal would not have approved.
1 October 2021
James Payne reviews the new film “The Lost Leonardo” directed by Andreas Koefed and encounters a thrilling journey through the murky world of art.
4 September 2021
James Payne explores the curious world of Mark Woods in his exhibition Absorption at Cross Lane Projects, Kendal.
27 August 2021
As part of his video series, Great Artworks Explained, James Payne tackles The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch.
6 April 2021
This is a new series by Artist/historian James Payne demystifying great works of art. We will be adding to this page as the content is produced.
1 June 2020
Gallerist James Payne from PayneShurvell visited Brussels recently during BRAFA and has selected his highlights from the fair. Art fairs… Read More
7 February 2018
