Born in Lubbock, TX in 1946, James Drake lives and works in El Paso, TX and Santa Fe, NM. Drake holds a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. from Art Center College of Design, Los Angeles, CA. Since the 1970s, Drake has exhibited extensively throughout the United States, including one-person exhibitions at Diverseworks Artspace, Houston, TX; SITE Santa Fe, NM; El Paso Museum of Art, TX; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D,C.; La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, CA; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, TX; and The Alternative Museum, New York, NY. He has participated in over 100 group exhibitions.
Drake has continually investigated the social dynamics of the U.S./Mexico border through participatory, community-based art. In drawings, video installations, artist books and photography, Drake has exposed the emotions and realities of individuals and their struggles for social justice and equity. Although political in content, the forms of Drake’s investigations take on a poetic, reflective quality and an international style. The universality of his message—that all people deserve the right to freedom—resonates for the viewer and his collaborators.