Dexter Dalwood (British, born 1960)

Dexter Dalwood (British, b.1960) was born in Bristol, England, and attended the Humphry Davy School. Before becoming an artist, he performed in a punk rock band but maintained an interest in art. He earned a BA from London's Central Saint Martins College of Art in 1985, and he studied in the MA program at the Royal College of Art in London from 1988 to 1990. In 1992, his first solo exhibition took place at the Clove Building in London. Dalwood creates large collages with images from famous art pieces, photographs, and pictures from magazines. One of his pieces, titled Kurt Cobain’s Greenhouse, features the skyline of Seattle and images of trees and flowers clipped from published works. An empty chair is prominently featured, and a guitar leans against the wall. Dalwood primarily works with paper, ink, and paint.

The artist employs screen-printing techniques and works with oil on canvas. He is inspired by the work of other artists, including Pablo Picasso and John Everett Millais. He has included images from their paintings in his own work. Bay of Pigs features a portion of Picasso’s Le déjeuner sur l'herbe flipped upside down. The piece is a collage with painted elements; it includes pictures of trees and tropical images. Dalwood plans his work in advance and tries not to overwork his paintings. He is known for his collages; in an interview, Dalwood said "The collages are more important than just getting the composition. The collages are where the literal tearing up goes on." Dalwood’s The Deluge, which is both an oil painting and a collage, has an eerie feel, and features a house and boat in a rain storm.

Dalwood’s work has been shown at many galleries, including the Tate Saint Ives in Cornwall, and the Saatchi Gallery in London. In 1998, his pieces were part of the critically acclaimed show Die Young, Stay Pretty at the ICA in London. In 2010, he was nominated for the Turner Prize. Dalwood lives and works in London.