Introduction

Michael Dean (b. 1977 Newcastle upon Tyne, now lives and works in London) starts his work with writing - which then abstracted into human-scale sculptures, using industrial and daily materials such as concrete, steel, padlocks, papers. Dean explores the three-dimensional possibilities of language by ‘spelling out’ his words through the alphabet of concrete sculptures, the contagion of stickers, dyed books, casts of his and his families’ fists and fingers. Dean’s practice is not about presenting readable words, but rather about a disclosure of the personal, striking something in equality between the author and the viewer while placing the people in front of the work. Dean will have a solo exhibition at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (Newcastle, UK) in 2018 and a solo exhibition at the Museo Tamayo (Mexico City, Mexico) in 2019.

Recent exhibitions include: Skulptur Projekte, Münster (2017); More Than Just Words [On the Poetic], Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna (2017); Turner Prize 2016, Tate Britain, London (2016); Sic Glyphs, South London Gallery, London (2016); Lost True Leaves, Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas (2016); Qualities of Violence, De Appel Arts Centre, Amsterdam (2015); Mirrorcity (curated by Stephanie Rosenthal), Hayward Gallery, London (2014); Thousand Doors (curated by Iwona Blazwick), Whitechapel at The Gennadius Library, Athens (2014); The Introduction of the Muscle, Arnolfini, Bristol (2013); Government, Henry Moore Institute, Leeds (2012); Acts of Grass, Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, London (2011) ; A Dying Artist, Institute of Contemporary Arts, London (2011).