Neil Dunne’s practice explores formations and compositionsderived from an inherent involvement with street art and culture and an investigative approach to deciphering the city. Dunne’s artworks are a fundamental exploration of paint, taking influence from his background in printmaking and the tangible, graphic nature of the discipline while exploring the textural and dynamic uses of oil painting; Dunne’s abstracted work alludes to the various attributes of the built environment – the forceful nature it has on our perceptions of space, but also the intricate way in which we negotiate the fabric of our cities. . His work delves into the processes via a diverse use of material within his abstract paintings, using the city as a matrix for his creativity.
Dunne presents his work at the juncture of urban aesthetics and fine art. The distinct methodologies behind the subculture, the formations and colouration, all possess a distinct reference to urban aesthetics – a nod to graffiti and its origins. The primal mark making associated with the famed sub-culture has had a profound effect on his artwork and correlates to not only Dunne’s conceptual interests but also the practical development of his painting. The semiotics of urban space dictate a plethora of visual record and language; a powerful collection of marks, forms and colour radiate
and influence our perceptions of the city and it is within these borderlines his work resonates. Dunne aligns his work within the genre of contemporary painting and expanded print practice with a reference to contemporary urban culture. His paintings are often developed around found imagery, printed matter, and sculpture – with themes spanning cultural identity, architecture and urban semiotics.
Neil graduated from The National College of Art and Design with a BA in 2014 in which he was awarded the NCAD Postgraduate Scholarship from 2015-2017. Notable exhibitions include The VUE Art Fair in 2018, where he was nominated for the Savilles art prize. BOMB his first show with Hang Tough Contemporary in Dublin and HKOP Graphic Arts in Hong Kong, 2014.
Dunne’s work was collected by the OPW Office of Public Works), AXA, HKOP, UCD, The Mater collection, The Devlin, The Mayson, The Law Society, and is included in various international private collections. Neil is currently an assistant lecturer in Fine Art Print at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin.