Born and raised in Australia, Dean West is a hyper-realistic photographer who creates intrinsic images capturing both the imagination and an artistic eye. Studying photography at school in the dark-room, his images have evolved into stunning and complex arrangements of models, objects, backgrounds and lighting styles. In the modern-era of art and photography, artists and photographers continuously stretch the boundaries of their creative abilities, allowing them to express the surreal, the impossible and the subjects of our dreams; Dean West certainly comes under that description.

Dean was born in 1983 and he lives and works in Florida, USA.

Biography
A wide range of environments and character types are explored in the works of the Florida based Dean West. The Australian-born artist who studied at the Queensland College of Art, is best known for his intricate and highly staged photographs that take everyday occurrences beyond the realm of natural reality. Extraordinary in their tonal range, digital clarity, and artistic vision, West’s meticulously choreographed scenes, character studies, and atmospheric landscapes powerfully yet synthetically link needs to desires and documentation to invention.

Passionately dedicated to the vast possibilities of digital photography as both a medium and a cultural epoch, West’s narratives draw inspiration from the total diversity offered by the visual arts. While the tableau photography of Stan Douglas and Jeff Wall inform West’s understanding of photography as a form of contemporary communication, the paintings of David Hockney and Edward Hopper provide evident aesthetic direction. The fictional world of cinema and the functional language of advertising have also clearly left their mark and taught lessons of their own.

International brands have embraced West’s vision through partnerships and important clients such as Disney, MTV, Bombay Sapphire, and Fox Sports. Recognized as one of Saatchi & Saatchi’s “Top 100 Emerging Photographers” in 2008, West has also been honored with “Advertising Photographer of the Year” at the International Loupe Awards (2008) and the prestigious “Arte Laguna Prize” in Venice, Italy (2009.)

International art curators have taken notice of the accomplished skill West applies to both his digital photography technique and the complex, cerebral narratives offered in his images. His works have been exhibited at important institutions around the world including the Columbus Museum of Art (2012), Faneuli Hall Museum of Boston (2015), the Paris Expo Porte De Versailles (2015), Puls 5 Gallery in Zürich, and the Discovery Times Square Museum in New York City (2014). Hailed as one of the most promising artists of his generation and identified as one of the most accomplished practitioners of digital image making as an art form, West has been honored by acquisitions of his work by some of the most prestigious collections of contemporary art, including that of Sir Elton John.

Solo exhibitions
2017 Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art, St Petersburg, Russia
2016 2015 – 2020, Alison Milne Gallery, Toronto, ON, Canada
2016 In Pieces, Cupula Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
2015 In Pieces, Puls 5 Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2015 In Pieces, Franklin Institute Museum, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2015 In Pieces, Fotografica de Colombia Biennial, Bogota, Colombia
2015 In Pieces, Paris Expo Gallery, Porte de Versailles, Paris, France
2015 In Pieces, Old Truman Brewery, London, United Kingdom
2015 In Pieces, Faneuil Hall Museum Boston, Boston, MA, USA
2014 In Pieces, Anchorage Museum of Art, Anchorage, AK, USA
2014 In Pieces, Art & Culture Center, Hollywood, FL, USA
2014 In Pieces, Discovery Centre Times Square, New York, NY, USA
2013 In Pieces, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, Redding, CA USA
2013 In Pieces, Open house Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2012 In Pieces, Clinton Presidential Centre, Little Rock, AR, USA
2012 In Pieces, The Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH, USA
2010 Fabricate, Fornace di Asolo, Treviso, Italy
2010 Fabricate, One800 Gallery, Toronto, ON, Canada

Art fairs
2024 Unseen Amsterdam, ARTITLEDcontemporary, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2024 Photo London, ARTITLEDcontemporary, London, United Kingdom
2024 MIA Photo Fair, ARTITLEDcontemporary, Milan, Italy
2024 London Art Fair, ARTITLEDcontemporary, London, United Kingdom
2023 PAN Amsterdam, ARTITLEDcontemporary, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2023 Moderne Art Fair, ARTITLEDcontemporary, Paris, France
2023 Unseen Amsterdam, ARTITLEDcontemporary, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2023 Photo London, ARTITLEDcontemporary, London, The Netherlands
2023 London Art Fair, ARTITLEDcontemporary, London, The Netherlands
2022 PAN Amsterdam, ARTITLEDcontemporary, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2022 Photo London, ARTITLEDcontemporary, London, United Kingdom
2021 PAN Amsterdam, ARTITLEDcontemporary, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2021 Photo London, ARTITLEDcontemporary, London, United Kingdom
2019 Phytology Photography, Alison Milne Gallery, Toronto, ON, Canada
2018 SCOPE Miami Beach, Miami, FL, USA
2018 Art Market Hamptons, New York, NY, USA
2018 Texas Contemporary, Houston, TX, USA
2017 The Other Art Fair, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2017 Art Market Hamptons, New York, NY, USA
2017 SCOPE New York, New York, NY, USA
2016 Art Market Hamptons, The Bridgehampton Museum, NY, USA
2016 Art Southampton, Southampton, NY, USA
2016 Hamptons Contemporary, Southampton, NY USA
2016 Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY, USA
2015 SCOPE New York, New York, NY, USA
2014 SCOPE Miami Beach, Miami, FL, USA
2014 SNAP Orlando, CU1 Gallery, Miami, FL, USA
2014 Dallas Art Fair, Dallas, TX, USA
2014 Faux Show, Islip Art Museum, Long Island, NY, USA
2013 Staging & Revelation, Galeria de Arte AFK, Lisbon, Portugal
2013 Stage of Mind, Opiom Gallery, Opio, France
2013 Art on the Edge, Vered Contemporary, East Hampton, NY, USA
2012 Photo Reload, Romberg Art Contemporana, Latina, Italy
2012 Worldwide Biennial WGPA, Palais de Glace, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2011 Flash Forward Magenta Foundation, The Distillery, Toronto, Canada
2010 Arte Laguna Prize, Le Tese di san Cristoforo, Venice, Italy
2010 Northern Lights, Atelier 688, Toronto, Canada
2008 Top 100 Emerging Photographers, Saatchi & Saatchi, Cannes, France
2006 Saving Daylight, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane, Australia

Awards
2019 200 Best Ad Photographers 19/20 Luerzer’s Archive
2019 Lens Culture Emerging Talents Lens Culture Inc, Netherlands
2018 Winner in the 11th Annual Masters International Color Awards, London
2018 IPA Awards, Lucie Foundation, Fine Art Pro, 3rd Place
2013 Blue Diamond Photo Award, Blue Diamond, Croatia
2013 Emerging Talent Jury Winner, Morpholio Eyetime 2013, USA
2012 ‘In Pieces’ Applied Arts Magazine Winner, Canada
2011 Illustrative Photographer of the Year International Loupe Awards, Australia
2011 Pollux Award Worldwide Photography Gala Directors Special Mention, Fabricate
2011 Official Selection Prix De La Photographie Paris, Paris, France
2011 Emerging Photographer of Canada, Flash Forward, Magenta Foundation, Canada
2011 ‘Fabricate’, Applied Arts Magazine Winner, Canada
2011 IPA Awards, Lucie Foundation 2nd Place, Fine Art Pro, USA
2011 Australia’s Top Photographer Nominee, Creative Magazine, Australia
2011 AIPP Australian Pro Photographer Awards, Creative Photographer of the Year Runner Up
2010 Winner of IV International Arte Laguna Prize Fotografica, ‘Fabricate’ Venice, Italy
2010 Advertising Photographer of the Year International Aperture Awards, Australia
2010 Visual Artist of the Year, Africa Photographic Awards, Johannesburg, SA
2010 Winner in the 4th Annual Masters Cup International Colour Awards, London, United Kingdom
2010 ‘Fabricate’, Applied Arts Winner, Canada
2010 Applied Arts Winner, Canada ‘Every Dink Counts’ QLD Government
2009 IPA – Honourable Mention, Lucie Foundation, USA
2008 Top 100 Emerging Photographers Saatchi & Saatchi, Cannes, France
2008 Advertising Photographer of the Year, International Aperture Awards, USA