German-born Melbourne-based emerging artist Sean McDowell primarily works in painting, creating dynamic compositions characterised by explosive markings and bold textures. Located between representation and abstraction, his art reflects his interest in themes of perception, memory, and the subconscious. The young artist completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts with First Class Honours at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne in 2020. While studying, he received the Perrin Sculpture Foundry Award in 2018, and was shortlisted for prizes including The Mary and Lou Senini Student Art Award, the Footscray Art Prize, and the 2019 Keith and Elisabeth Murdoch Travelling Fellowship. Since graduating, McDowell has wasted no time establishing himself in the local arts scene with several solo and group exhibitions. His work is held in private and corporate collections throughout Australia and additionally in Germany and the Netherlands. His work will be on display in the group exhibition Shifting Forces at CAVES Gallery, Melbourne, for the duration of March 2022.
Featured image: Sean McDowell, Planet World, 2021. Mixed media on canvas with steel frame, 78.5 x 52.5cm. Courtesy: the artist.