About
James Merry is a visual artist from the UK, now based in Iceland. He is primarily known for his hand embroidery and mask-making, and as a frequent collaborator with Björk on her visual output. He has collaborated with institutions such as the V&A, Gucci, The Royal School of Needlework, Tim Walker, Tilda Swinton and Iris Van Herpen.
Collapsible content

Björk Projects
2025 : Co-Creative Director of Visuals, Cornucopia Live Film
2024 : Artwork for ‘Oral’ Remix single by Björk, Rosalía & Olof Dreijer
2024 : Custom masks for Vogue Scandinavia covershoot with Björk & Viðar Logi
2019-2023 : Visual Co-Creative Director, Björk Cornucopia Tour
2023 : Co-Creative director, Drone displays at Björk Coachella
2023 : Artwork for ´Oral´ single cover for Björk & Rosalía
2022 : Co-Creative Director, Björk ‘Ancestress’ Music Video
2022 : Co-Creative Director, Björk ‘Fossora’ Album Cover
2021 : Artwork for Björk ‘Cosmogony´ Vinyl
2019 : Visual Co-Creative Director, Björk ‘Cornucopia’ Tour
2017 : Co-creative Director, Björk ‘Utopia’ album cover by Jesse Kanda
2017 : Co-creative Director, Björk ‘The Gate’ Music Video
2017 : Artwork for Björk vinyl for Planned Parenthood Charity
2017 : Co-Creative Director Björk ‘Notget’ Music Video
2016 : Co-Creative Director, Björk ‘Vulnicura VR’
2016 : Co-Creative Director, ‘Björk : Digital”
2015 : Co-Creative director, Björk ‘Black Lake’ Music Video
2015 : Album co-ordination, Research & Personal Assistance, Björk ‘Vulnicura’
2012 : Co-director, Björk ‘Moon’ Music Video
2011 : Project Co-ordinator & Researcher, Biophilia App Album
2011 : Co-creative director, ‘Solstice’ App
2011 : Co-creative director, ‘Moon’ App
Other Collaborations
2022 : 66°North x James Merry embroidery collection
2021 : Iris Van Herpen 2021 Couture ‘Earthrise’ Accessories
2021 : Icelandic beauty brand Bioeffect artwork
2020 : Custom Masks for Tilda Swinton at Venice Film Festival
2020 : Gentle Monster : Redefinition of Eyewear
2020 : Artist Residency : Royal School of Needlework, UK
2018 : Gucci x GQ : Performers Act Viii
2018 : Introduction for Thames & Hudson Embroidery Guide
2017 : Pop-up embroidery at Tsutaya Books, Tokyo
2017 : Design for V&A Membership Bag
2016 : ‘The Embroidered Gaze’ for V&A Museum
2015 : Hand embroidery sportswear collection for ‘Opening Ceremony’
2015 : SHOWstudio embroidery project for Icelandic Nature Conservation
Exhibitions
2024 : ´Homo Faber´ The Journey of Life, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice Italy
2024 : ‘Skart Grípur’, Hafnarborg Iceland for DesignMarch
2023 : ´Diva´ exhibition at the V&A
2023 : Iris Van Herpen ´Sculpting The Senses´exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
2023 : ´Crown to Couture ´ at Kensington Palace
2023 : ´Rara Avis´ at White Cube, Paris
2022 : ´Screenswear´ at Design Museum Den Bosch
2022 : ´Spor of Þræðir' at Reykjavík Art Museum
2022 : ‘From Seeds to Psychadelics’ at Natural History Museum LA
2019 : ´Body Control´ at Museum Arnhem, Netherlands
2019 : ´Le Guess Who´ at Centraal Museum, Netherlands
2019 : ´Etnos – Faces da Diversidada´at Farol Santander, Brasil
Press
Vogue Scandinavia : James Merry brings his otherworldly organic aesthetic, as seen on Björk, to his first jewellery pieces for Dover Street Market
Vogue : Tilda Swinton’s Venice Film Festival Masks Are Museum Worthy Works of Art
iD :Björk Collaborator James Merry on the Importance of Imagination
iD : Björk Collaborator James Merry’s Incredible Embroidery Creations
iD : Björk Collaborator James Merry on Virtual Reality and Princess Mononoke’s Rainforest
Current Obsession : Interview with James Merry and Inès Alpha
Hube : The Mysterious Third
Crack Magazine : The Update : James Merry
Dazed : Meet the man behind Björk’s out-of-this-world masks
Dazed : James Merry on his all-time fave Björk collaborations
The Guardian Artist James Merry: ‘It’s beautiful seeing tears coming out of the bottom of a VR headset’
The Guardian : This article is more than 9 years old A stitch in time: the very modern world of the Instagram sewing circle
London Craft Week : Meet The Maker: James Merry