exhibitions

paintings, prints, sculpture

3 - 22 September 2009

about the exhibition

Dean Bowen’s works pulsate with stippled surfaces, vibrant colour, environmental symbolism and dynamic composition. He is renowned for his deliberate child-like renderings of objects, people and animals that all share the artist’s quirky and infectious sense of humour.In this, his fifth exhibition at Beaver Galleries, Dean continues to bring to life images of urban and rural scenes where his comical protagonists possess complex personalities and emotions despite their simplified rendition. Animals and birds are given human characteristics, perhaps in an attempt by the artist to draw out similarities in the way we relate to our habitats and environments. Indeed, the contrast between the seemingly calm, natural environment of the birds and animals and the frantic, congested urban landscape of mankind, speaks of an environmental symbolism calling for a greater appreciation of the beauty and simplicity of natural life. Brightly coloured surfaces and playful distortions of perspective and proportion are key traits found across Dean Bowen’s prints, paintings and bronzes. A concern for happiness is evident in Dean’s work, and wit and a naive style are the hallmarks of an artist who is looking to engage with a wide audience whilst retaining sophisticated dialogues.

Dean Bowen originally studied printmaking and has exhibited to much acclaim in Australia and overseas. He has worked on a number of commissions, including a major tapestry in 1995, woven by the Victorian Tapestry workshop, for the City of Melbourne’s Town Hall as well as recent sculpture for the Canterbury and Shepparton regions. In 2008, the ACT Government purchased a major sculpture of Dean’s, “The big little man”, which is permanently installed in Canberra city’s central pedestrian precinct. Dean is a regular participant in national and international awards winning the sponsor’s prize in the 4th Sapporo International Print Biennale in Japan in 1998, and both the people’s choice award at the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, Melbourne and the Tai-he masterpiece award at the 1st International Print Biennial of Beijing in 2003. More recently, he was selected as a finalist in the 2009 Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW. His works are represented in many significant collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW, Parliament House, BibliothequeNationale (Paris, France), URDLA Archives (Lyon, France) and the Contemporary Art and Culture Centre (Osaka, Japan).

exhibition images

  • 1. $1,450 Balancing black bird - lithograph, edition 11 of 25, 48 x 68cm (unframed $950)

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  • 2. $1,450 Perching parrot - lithograph, edition 19 of 25, 48 x 68cm (unframed $950)

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  • 3. $7,000 Mother driving children - oil on linen, 92 x 122cm

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  • 4. $3,500 Perching hawk - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 5. $3,500 Small canary - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 6. $3,500 Canary on leaf - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 7. $3,500 Quirky crow - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 8. $3,500 Bird with butterfly - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 9. $3,500 Bird resting on a mound - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 10. $3,500 Night hawk with wasps - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 11. $3,500 Giant butterfly - oil on linen, 45 x 53cm

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  • 12. $4,800 Speeding driver - bronze, edition 3 of 9, 14.5 x 28.5 x 7cm

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  • 13. $7,000 Tree with owl - bronze, edition 3 of 9, 50.5 x 29 x 15.5cm

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  • 14. $7,000 Giant ibis - oil on linen, 91 x 117cm

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  • 15. $19,000 Meteor shower - oil on linen, 153 x 183cm

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  • 16. $12,000 The third man - bronze, artist’s proof II of II, edition of 9, 53 x 51 x 22cm

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  • 17. $6,600 Driving farmer - bronze, edition 1 of 9, 17 x 41 x 13cm

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  • 18. $2,600 Urban recovery - oil on linen, 30 x 40cm

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  • 19. $2,600 Bus trip - oil on linen, 30 x 40cm

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  • 20. $16,000 Delays expected - oil on linen, 122 x 183cm

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  • 21. $6,600 Small farmer - bronze, edition 5 of 9, 36 x 35 x 12cm

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  • 22. $7,000 Travelling turtles - oil on linen, 91 x 117cm

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  • 23. $7,000 Sparrow hawk - oil on linen, 91 x 117cm

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  • 24. $16,000 The child - bronze, edition 2 of 9, 56 x 57 x 16cm

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  • 25. $500 Resting bird - etching, edition 23 of 35, 15 x 20cm (unframed $330)

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  • 26. $500 Night bird - etching, artist’s proof I of IV, edition of 35, 15 x 20cm (unframed $330)

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  • 27. $1,350 Nocturnal landscape with echidna - etching, edition 9 of 25, 44 x 59.5cm (unframed $950)

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