Love, Life and Death: Prints by Dan Baldwin

About

Dan Baldwin (1972) creates a unique and immediately recognisable vision in his silkscreen prints. His work reflects both reality and the world of imagination. Baldwin's subject matter is the interior of his own mind, from rumination on love, memory or philosophical issues, to an airing of opinion on politics and/or current affairs. The motifs with which he plays often recur - skeletons, swallows, crucifixes, childrens story book illustrations, spiders, robins, trees, knives, flowers, cartoon figures- and are often contradictory, creating an uncomfortable and sometimes sinister paradox. Each motif has a meaning (swallows generally signify innocence for example), although the meanings can vary slightly from print to print depending on the overall ethos of the piece. Symbolism is a key to Baldwin's oeuvre - his interpretation and the personal response of each viewer. These symbols of death, life and love reflect his preoccupation with the big questions of human existence. Born in Manchester, Baldwin studied at Eastbourne College of Art and Design and then Kent Institute of Art and Design. He lives and works in West Sussex. Baldwin's work is collected and exhibited nationally and internationally.