Stephen Dean

	Stephen Dean

Artist Stephen Dean transforms everyday objects into uncommon works of art. In his paintings, film, sculptures and assemblages, Dean ascribes new meaning to ordinary objects that are often overlooked. Newspaper ads, ladders, shirts, cots and color swatches become compositions of color, form and texture in unexpected artistic expressions. Dean challenges viewers to look at the world in new ways. Recycled discarded materials finds new life in his constructions.

Stephen Dean’s films explore color and movement. Pulse, a 7.5-minute DVD video created in 2001, was shown at the Whitney Biennial in 2002. His work incorporated footage from the Indian festival of Holi, in which people toss colored pigments and mica glitter on each other. Dean was drawn to the vivid colors in an exotic setting.

His subsequent video, Volta (2002-2003), further explores the cultural use of color. In the 9-minute work, Dean transforms Brazilian soccer fans into undulating amorphous waves of color. As fans remove their green, black and yellow shirts, the expanse of color transforms to flesh tones. The spectators’ movements become rapid strokes of color, like a post-Impressionist painting. The work contains no footage of the actual ball game-- just the sounds and colors of the fans in the stadium.

Stephen Dean was born in Paris, France, in 1968. He currently lives and works in New York and in Paris with his wife Anne Deleporte. His work appears in many private, corporate and public collections.