Samuel James

Gallery talk with artist Kate Breakey and Gene Hall, entomologist and manager of the University of Arizona Insect Collection, on the intersection of art, science, biodiversity, and the often-overlooked role of insects in our ecosystems.

Etherton Gallery, Tucson, Arizona

February 1, 2025, 3-5pm

Exhibition: To the Dark and the Endless Skies, with Kate Breakey

Etherton Gallery, Tucson, Arizona

December 3, 2024 through February 8, 2025

Nightairs featured in the exhibition The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023

Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

October 19, 2024 through January 5, 2025

“Every year, the Stedelijk Museum and the Stichting De Best Verzorgde Boeken present the entries selected by a jury, submitted by publishers of their previous year’s publications. The Netherlands has a rich tradition of exceptional book design, known for innovative design, lithography, printing, and bookbinding. This selection celebrates the best of Dutch graphic design.”

Talk: “Art Forms of the Eastern Forest: Documenting Southern Ohio’s Biodiversity”

Barrows Conservation Lecture Series, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

March 13, 2024

Nightairs named one of De Best Verzorgde Boeken (Best Dutch Book Designs), 2023

“Clearly a lot of hard work has gone into getting the essence of the fireflies, which Nightairs is all about, onto paper. Over several summers, using slow shutter speeds, Samuel James created a photographic record of the communication between fireflies (and their mating rituals) in the south of Ohio. Both the black of the night and the yellow of the insects fly off of the page, and the residual hints of sky and woods give a pleasing, overt sense of calm. A deliberate decision was taken not to use fluorescent yellow for the printing, in order to remain more faithful to the actual bioluminescent colour of the 26 species of firefly captured in the book. The book’s mammoth format forms a nice contrast to the accessible Singer-sewn binding. The yellow thread used gives a good approximation of the printed yellow. All in all, this book is a convincing home for this wonderful feat of nature photography.”

Nightairs named on the shortlist for the 2023 Aperture-Paris Photo FirstBook Prize.

Portrait by Koos Breukel, Het Parool, July 21, 2023