DEAN BOWEN
SANCTUARY
JANUARY 13TH - FEBRUARY 2ND, 2025
On previous page: Blue Bird, 2024, oil on linen, 91x106cm | $9,900
This page: Container Ship (Panama), 2024, oil on linen, 122x183cm | $18,000
ABOUT DEAN BOWEN
Dean Bowen’s idiosyncratic paintings, sculptures and prints combine technical mastery with a fundamental directness and simplicity. His delightful spontaneity is achieved through the skilful balancing of creative inventiveness with a rigorous application of process and technique.
His paintings, bronze sculptures and prints address the human condition and are known for their renditions of personages, animals, urban and rural environments, and quirky characters that evoke the simple pleasures of human habitation in optimistic ways within the contemporary world.
He has exhibited widely and held over one hundred solo exhibitions in Australia, France, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. His work is represented in many national and international collections including, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne; Parliament House Art Collection Canberra; Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; City of Melbourne, Fukuoka Museum of Art, Japan, Bibliotheque Nationale; Paris. The artist has received numerous public art and sculpture commissions including Pt.Leo Sculpture Park, City of Wodonga and ArtsACT.
SANCTUARY
The Sanctuary exhibition brings together classic themes of Dean Bowen’s work including, birds, echidnas, kookaburras, dogs, the human form, comets, and the home of love. Many of these themes are realized as both paintings and bronze sculptures as his ideas develop and cascade off each other, so typical of the artist’s creativity and way of working. Large Kookaburras contemplate the moon and a passing comet, whilst Leaf Birds rest with Ladybird Friends and Echidna family’s parade through the Australian landscape. The exhibition also for the first time includes large oil paintings of container and cargo ships, that are so present in the seascapes of Queenscliff.
This Sanctuary of animals and personnages interact in optimistic and playful ways creating a family of creatures imbued with a sense of good will and support for each other, the environment and natural world. In challenging times Dean Bowen’s Sanctuary invites us to contemplate the joy of a unique, creative and optimistic imagination.
Container Ship (White Star), 2024, oil on linen, 122x183cm | $18,000
White Forest with Echidna Family, 2024, oil on linen, 122x183cm | $18,000
Kookaburra Watching Moon, 2024, oil on board, 122x153cm | $16,500
Kookaburra Watching Comet, 2024, oil on board, 122x153cm | $16,500
Barking up the Wrong Tree, 2024, oil on linen, 137x153cm | $18,000
Yellow Landscape with Echidnas, 2024, oil on linen, 122x153cm | $16,500
Spiky Echidna with Ants, 2024, oil on board, 87x120cm | $11,000
Dog Watching Comet, 2024, oil on board, 87x120cm | $11,000
Left: Spotted Leaf Bird (Orange), 2024, oil on linen, 91x106cm | $9,900
Right: Green Leaf Bird (Female), 2024, oil on linen, 91x106cm | $9,900
Bird Totem (Red) - Two Ladybirds, 2024, oil on linen, 91x106cm | $9,900
Left: Blue Toucan - la petite grignoter, 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Right: Spotted Blue Bird (Nocturnal), 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Left: Tree Dogs, 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Right: Starry Night - Crescent Moon, 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Left: Bird with Leaf, 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Right: Dovecoat, 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Left: Blackbird with Leaf, 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Right: Bird Resting on Grassy Knoll, 2024, oil on linen, 45x53cm | $4,950
Left: Sand Bird with Crescent Moon, 2024, oil on linen, 40.5x51cm | $4,440
Right: Container Ship - Pink Stripe, 2024, oil on linen, 30.5x40.5cm | $4,000
Left: Echidna (Adolescent), 2023, Bronze, ed of 9, 31x58 x17.5cm | $17,600
Right: Koala, 2020, Bronze, ed of 9, 27x16 x20cm | $9,900
Left: Small Landscape with Young Echidna and Kookaburra, 2024, Bronze, Unique Cast, 41x40x16cm | $12,500
Right: Kookaburra, 2024, Bronze, ed of 9, 45x46x17cm | $17,600
Boy with Kookaburra Family, 2024, Bronze, ed of 9, 18.5x62x12cm | $12,000
Echidna with Friendly Kookaburra, 2024, Bronze, ed of 9, 40x75x19cm | $24,000
Young Boy with Owls, 2024, Bronze, ed of 9, 18x51x6cm | $9,900
Left: House of Love (Medium), 2019, Bronze, ed of 9, 37x19x8cm | $8,800
Right: The Home of Love - Starry Night, 2022, Lithograph, ed of 25, 64x48cm (image dimensions) | $2,000 (F) $1,400 (UF)
Right: Small Echidna, 2024, Bronze, ed of 9, 16x29x8cm | $8,800
Left: Spotted Bird with Ladybird Family 2024, Lithograph, ed of 20, 50x66cm (image dimensions) | $2,000 (F) $1,400 (UF)
Left: The Home of Love, 2022, Lithograph, ed of 25,48x68cm (image dimensions) | $2,000 (F) $1,400 (UF)
Right: The House of Love (Medium), 2024, Lithograph, ed of 45, 28x40cm (image dimensions) | $1,450 (F) $1,100 (UF)
Left: Young Echidna, 2023, Bronze, ed of 9, 3x17x11cm | $6,600
Right: House of Love (Nitty Gritty), Limited Edition Book with Bronze Sculpture 2024, ed of 9, 33x31x11cm (togther) | $6,600
DEAN BOWEN SELECTED CV
Born 1957, Maryborough, Victoria
EDUCATION
1999 Monash University, Ph. D
1993 Monash University, Master of Arts
1976 RMIT, Diploma of Fine Art (Printmaking)
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS (2018-2024)
2024 Galerie Miyawaki, Kyoto, Japan
2023
Tokushima Museum of Art, Japan
The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma, Japan
Petrichor, Paintings, Sculpture and Prints, Salt Contemporary Art, Queenscliff Ladder to the Stars, Sculpture Survey, Central Goldfields Gallery, Maryborough
2022
2021
2020 – 2022
2019
Nitty Gritty, Sculpture Survey, Arthouse Gallery, Sydney
Menagerie, Anthea Polson Art, Gold Coast
Nitty Gritty, Paintings, Sculpture and Prints, Salt Contemporary Art, Queenscliff
Journey, Prints and Works on Paper, Beaver Galleries, Canberra
Imaging Centaur, Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne
Blue Constellation, Paintings, Sculpture, Salt Contemporary Art, Queenscliff
Da Unten Dean Bowen Prints, Buchbinderei Lang, Leverkusen, Germany
New, Paintings, Sculpture and Prints, Beaver Galleries, Canberra
Ladybird Mountain, Paintings, Sculpture, Prints, Cascade Art, Maldon, Victoria
The Home of Kindness, Paintings, Sculpture, Anthea Polson Art, Main Beach, Qld
2018 Abode, Eastgate Gallery, Hawthorn, Melbourne
Home is Where the Heart is, Whitehorse Artspace, Box Hill Town Hall
The Welcome Stranger, Arthouse Gallery, Rushcutters Bay, Sydney
Dean Bowen Now,Salt Contemporary Art, Queenscliff
SCULPTURE COMMISSIONS
2022
2021
Sidewood Vineyard and Winery, Adelaide Hills
City of Wodonga, bronze commissions
2019 City of Wodonga, bronze commissions
2018
2017
2014
2013
2012
2012
2011
City of Wodonga, bronze commissions
Pt.Leo Estate Sculpture Park, Merricks, Victoria
Lavington Library Commission, Albury City
Grimwade House, Melbourne Grammar School, bronze commission
Deakin University, Burwood Campus, bronze commission
Hamilton Art Gallery, bronze commissions
Wyndham City, bronze commission, Wyndham Community Learning Centre
Maroondah City Council bronze commission, Glen Park, Bayswater North
Lady with Flowers bronze commission, artsACT, Canberra, ACT
2010 Linking Laverton Public Sculpture Commission, Hobsons Bay City Council
2010
2008
2007
2007
2006
PRIZES AND AWARDS
2003
2002
1998
1997
1994
Colas Foundation, Paris, France
Centennial Sculpture. Canterbury Primary School, Sculpture Commission
Public Art Acquisition, Petrie Plaza, artsACT, Canberra, ACT
Public Art Acquisition, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne
City of Greater Shepparton, Sculpture Commission, Shepparton Showgrounds
1992
1991
1st International Print Biennial of Beijing, Tai-he Award, Beijing, P.R.China
Popular Choice Award, The Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award, Werribee Park, Victoria
12th Space International Print Biennial, Seoul, Korea
Sponsors prize, 4th Sapporo International Print Biennale, Japan
Daikin Industries Company Prize, Osaka Print Triennale, Japan
Mainichi Broadcasting System Prize, Osaka Print Triennale, Japan
Monash University, Graduate Scholarship
Fremantle Print Award
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award, Grafton Regional Gallery
Australia- France Foundation Grant
Arts 21, International Export and Touring Grant
Collie Trust Award
Dyason Bequest Grant, Art Gallery of New South Wales
COLLECTIONS
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Artbank
artsACT, ACT Government
Atelier Devreux-Gerbaud, St Christol De Rodieres, France
Atelier Franck Bordas, Paris, France
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne
Australian Defense Force Academy, Canberra
Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne
Australian Securities Commission,
Australian War Memorial, Canberra
A-Z Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Baillieu Myer Collection
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
Benalla Art Gallery
Bendigo Art Gallery
Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, France
Brisbane City Hall Art Gallery
Queensland Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery, Bedford, UK
Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough, VIC
Channel 10, Sydney
City of Banyule
City of Fremantle
City of Logan
City of Melbourne
City of Port Phillip
City of Richmond
City of Shepparton
Colas Foundation, Paris, France
Cremona Public Museum, (Prints Cabinet) Cremona, Italy
Crown Casino, Melbourne
Devonport Regional Gallery
Deakin University, Burwood
Deakin University , Geelong
Deutsche Bank, Geneva, Switzerland
Epworth Healthcare Art Collection
Flexovit Abrasives, Australia
Fukuoka Museum of Art, Japan
Geelong Art Gallery
Geelong Grammar School
Gladstone Regional Art Gallery &
Museum Gold Coast City Art Gallery
Grafton Regional Gallery
Hamilton Regional Gallery
Heide Museum of Modern Art
James Hardie Collection, State Library of QLD
Kiriaki Company Ltd, Sapporo, Japan
Mackay City Library,Queensland
McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park
Melbourne Grammar School
Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne
Monash University, Gippsland Campus
Mornington Peninsula Arts Centre
Muzeum Naradowe, Warsaw, Poland
National Bank of Australia
National Library of Australia, Canberra
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
New England Regional Gallery
Nillumbik Shire Council
O.T.C.
Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Parliament House Art Collection, Canberra
Peter Mac Art Collection, Melbourne
Point Leo Estate Sculpture Park, Merricks, VIC
Print Council of Australia
Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Tasmania
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane
Shell, North Fremantle, Western Australia
Shrine of Remembrancce, Melbourne
Silk Cut Foundation, Melbourne
Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
St George Bank, Sydney
Swan Hill Art Gallery
Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Hobart
Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery
Tweed River Regional Art Gallery, Murwillumbah
University of Ballarat
University of Melbourne, Institute of Education
University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba
University of Sydney, New South Wales
URDLA Archives, Lyon, France
Wagga Wagga City Art Gallery
DEAN BOWEN
SANCTUARY
JANUARY 13 - FEBRUARY 2, 2025
For all enquiries contact the gallery
Salt Contemporary Art
info@salt-art.com.au
+61 3 5258 3988
+61 439 353 624
salt-art.com.au
33-35 Hesse St Queenscliff 3225