Moments Spent with Others: Brendan Dawes

20 May - 2 July 2022 Project Space

Overview

“Much of my work is about the small, seemingly mundane things and the importance of these moments, especially those spent in the company of others. The lockdown period taught many people how we crave human connection. I have created three digital manifestations of my memories, which aim to explore the beauty of these fleeting moments.”
– Brendan Dawes

The exhibition, Moments Spent with Others, explores the beauty behind moments that may initially seem insignificant and how the concept of time and space is connected to the captivating feeling of interacting with others.

Moments Spent with Others consists of algorithmic visuals derived from mundane moments that somehow stick to one's memory. After the recent lockdown period, human interaction became more precious as we grew used to detaching ourselves from other people. From personal yet universally relatable moments like sitting on a park bench in Soho, New York, whilst eating a slice of pizza, to people-watching in a bustling hub, Dawes embraces these moments by recreating them into datasets algorithms and data visualisations. Dawes draws much of his inspiration from popular culture and nature, often revolving his work around the concept of time and memory - and how these can intertwine.

Press release

GAZELL.iO is pleased to present the inaugural solo show by its represented artist Brendan Dawes. The exhibition, Moments Spent with Others, explores the beauty behind moments that may initially seem insignificant and how the concept of time and space is connected to the captivating feeling of interacting with others.

His second time exhibiting with the gallery, Moments Spent with Others, is an invitation to Dawes’ personal stories wrapped in digital visualisations. Over the recent pandemic period, as human interaction became scarce and precious, we grew accustomed to detaching ourselves from other people. Dawes embraces these moments by recreating them into datasets, algorithms, and data visualisations by incorporating memories that are personal to the artist but are also universally enjoyed.

One such memory - sitting on the edge of a building in Soho, New York, in 2001, whilst eating pizza with his friend and designer Hillman Curtis, who changed his life when Dawes moved to New York City to work for him, sets the tone for his first work. The work’s aesthetics captures the bustling colours of heavy New York traffic and other sensations Dawes experienced whilst watching life go by in this memory.

A second work takes inspiration from Dawes’ late-night experiences of watching classic films with his father, which ignited Dawes’ passion for film - with colour profiles incorporated from films such as Chinatown (1974), All the President’s Men (1976) and Vertigo (1958) among others. The film is an essential reference point in much of Dawes’ work and has significantly influenced many of the artist’s previous projects.

Finally, the third work in the show reflects Dawes’ love for simply sitting on a park bench with his wife Lisa. Specific elements of this pastime that resonate with the artist include people-watching and taking in the sights and sounds of the surrounding area. The inspirations that shaped this work came from images taken by the couple from their favourite park bench.

Dawes draws much of his inspiration from popular culture and nature, often revolving his work around the concept of time and memory – and how these can intertwine. These analytical explorations have been an ongoing theme over Dawes’ career, as his work questions our understanding of such concepts.

Works