Graham Dean has an international reputation as a contemporary figurative painter.
His paintings use the figure not in a literal way but more as a vehicle to
convey ideas, emotions and psychological states. Whilst his works are representational,
they escape the illustrative through his ability to draw a broader meaning from
the deeply personal.
He employs a technique that he calls "reverse archaeology", by which
he transforms the conventional use of watercolour painting. Contrasting layers
of paint are laid separately onto porous handmade Indian paper, achieving a
density and brilliance of colour that is visceral in its effects, merging the
figure with the organic process of paint spreading through paper. Sections from
several different versions of the same composition are torn away and reassembled
in a form of collage, lending each image a rawness and immediacy which supports
the emotive and dramatic qualities of the works. He has exhibited internationally
now for over 25 years and his work is in many private and public collections
throughout the world.
links to
chronology
pictures
news
contact details
home page
the brighton web