James McQueen|Volume
All Volume Works By James McQueen (3)
Significance & Analysis
'Volume' was McQueen's first use of lenticular imagery, and it gave covers collectors already knew a second reading. His paintings are meant to look like books with a past; here the past is something the viewer uncovers by walking by.
Two images in one
A lenticular print interlaces two pictures behind a ridged lens, so the image changes with the viewing angle. Each 'Volume' panel was individually digitally printed and set under an extruded lens on acrylic, which gives the cover a sense of depth. A hidden layer is part of his paintings too, where sanded paint exposes what lies beneath. "The exposure of these layers represents the history and journey of the artwork, just as a used book will have its own story," McQueen says. The monkey insignia and the short provocative quotes that run through his covers carry across into the new format.
Looking back, then forward
The covers it reworks come from the releases now gathered in 'Non-Fiction (2022)', so the shifting panels behave more like a flip book than a reprint. The format stuck. All three editions sold out, and in May 2026 McQueen returned to lenticulars with 'Double Take', a release of four works.
