Dan Withey
Biography
Dan Withey, based in Tarntanya-Adelaide, South Australia, is a contemporary artist who has carved out a unique space in the Australian art scene by blending elements of fine art with pop culture in a way that defies easy categorisation.
After relocating to Australia from Birmingham (UK) in 2004, Withey earned a Bachelor of Visual Communication, majoring in Illustration, at the University of South Australia. This illustrative background is a key component of his oeuvre, evident in his crisp line work, vibrant colour schemes, and sharply defined shapes.
Hovering between abstraction and figuration, Withey channels a style that evokes the playful and surreal. His paintings are marked by a bold mix of eccentric characters, whimsical forms, and joyful absurdity, all of which reflect his deep engagement with the complexities of human existence and the chaotic humour of contemporary life.
Withey’s art is a vibrant interrogation of the world around us, where ordinary motifs are transformed into something delightfully peculiar. His compositions are rich with metaphors and hybrid characters, exploring themes such as consumerism, popular culture, and environmental issues. His approach is often semi-autobiographical, offering a relatable commentary on the shared anxieties of modern life. Visually, his paintings balance a sense of order with elements of chaos, reflecting the inherent contradictions of contemporary existence. This paradox is seen in his juxtaposition of scale and subject, where obtuse, exaggerated shapes coexist with clean lines and clearly defined forms.
Animism has been noted as a source of inspiration for Withey – the belief that all elements of nature, from animals to inanimate objects, possess a spiritual essence. As evident in his portfolio, Withey animates the ordinary, transforming mundane objects into inquisitive, cartoonish creatures through his signature use of eyes, suggesting that the universe is constantly observing us. This technique gives inanimate objects a sentient quality, creating characters that are both humorous and slightly unsettling. His use of pointillism, though looser and more fluid than the fine dots of Georges Seurat, adds a rich texture to his canvases, evoking the visual language of vintage comic books with scattered points of colour that create a hypnotic depth. These elements compound to summon a sense of disassociation from reality that both provokes .
Withey’s influences include artists like Reg Mombassa, who served as an initial source of inspiration for Withey. Mombassa instigated a realisation for Withey that art could be accessible to everyone. Mombassa’s cartoonish paintings, known for blending Australian iconography with surreal, humorous imagery, resonates in Withey’s own practice. However, where Mombassa’s work is grounded in Australian culture, Withey’s art is inspired by the swirling mass of global popular culture. He describes his brain as a “weird filter” that absorbs everything that interests him, translating it into a unique visual language that has grown richer and more complex over the years. Yet, despite this evolution, Withey’s style remains consistently accessible—playful, bright, humorous, and deeply resonant.
EDUCATION
2007 Bachelor of Visual Communication (Illustration Design), University of South Australia
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 New Man, Old Shoes, Fox Galleries, Melbourne
2024 Walking Past, Royal South Australian society of the Arts, Adelaide
2023 Finite Bounty, Praxis Art Space, Adelaide
2023 The Embodiment of Fire, Penny Contemporary, Hobart
2022 How Much do you Love me? Atelier Antifragile, Adelaide
2021 Kindness is a Boomerang, Praxis Art Space, Adelaide
2020 Solo Show, BMG Gallery, Adelaide
2020 Silo Art Projection, Karoonda, South Australia
2020 Stay Positive, Praxis Art Space, Adelaide
2020 Panpsychism, Penny Contemporary, Hobart
2019 Flight in a Small World, Artvisory Gallery, Melbourne
2019 Seas of Limbo, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2018 The Nature of Reality, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2018 Bits of Forever, Penny Contemporary, Hobart
2018 Annex Show, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2017 The Day the World was OK, 19 Karen Contemporary Art Space, Gold Coast
2017 External Drivers, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2016 Stranger Than Usual, Penny Contemporary, Hobart
2016 Back to Abnormal, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2016 An Encounter with Dan Withey, Scott Livesey Galleries, Melbourne
2015 Strange Realities, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2014 The Collections Project, Art Gallery of South Australia / Guildhouse, Adelaide
2014 Influx, 19 Karen Contemporary Art Space, Gold Coast
2014 Humans, Penny Contemporary, Hobart
2014 Three’s Company, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2013 Happiness INC, 19 Karen Contemporary Art Space, Gold Coast
2012 Withey or Withoutey, Magazine Gallery, Adelaide
2012 Dan Withey Solo Exhibition, Jackman Gallery, Melbourne
2011 The House of Dan, A P Bond Gallery, Adelaide
2011 Dan Withey Solo Exhibition, Jackman Gallery, Melbourne
2011 Milk and Honey, 19 Karen Contemporary Art Space, Gold Coast
2011 Quantum, Magazine Gallery, Adelaide
2010 Dan Withey Solo Exhibition, Fad Gallery, Melbourne
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 Animal House, Art Images Gallery, Norwood
2020 Still Life, Still Lives, BMG Gallery, Adelaide
2017 Stock Room Show, Mossgreen Gallery, Melbourne
2015 PAIN/TING, Open Walls Gallery, Berlin
2013 Starting Small, Porter Contemporary, New York
2012 Artists & Fleas, Chelsea Market Art fair, New York
2012 SA Illustrated, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
2011 Homage to Frida, 19 Karen Contemporary Art Space, Gold Coast
2010 Creature Feature, Monstrosity Gallery, Sydney
2010 SALA Group Exhibition, Peter Walker Fine Art, Adelaide
AWARDS, COMPETITIONS AND ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES
2021 Guild House, Catapult Mentorship, with Del Kathryn Barton
2021 Finalist, Hawkesbury Art Prize
2021 Finalist, Centre for Creative Health Art Prize
2021 Finalist, City of Adelaide Incubator Award (SALA Festival)
2021 Artist in Residence, Blackfriars Primary School
2021 Winner, Adelaide Parklands Art Prize
2020 Finalist, West Torrens Art Prize
2018 Finalist, Heysen Prize
2018 Artist in Residence, Wilderness School
2018 Finalist, Brunswick Street Gallery Small Works Art Prize
2018 Finalist, Linden Art Prize
2017 Finalist, Whyalla Art Prize
2016 Finalist – Highly Commended Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize
2015 Finalist, The Advertiser Contemporary Art Prize
2015 Finalist, Whyalla Art Prize
2015 The Collections Project, Adelaide City Council / Guildhouse
2014 The Collections Project, Art Gallery of South Australia / Guildhouse
2014 Finalist, Substation Contemporary Art Prize
2013 Artist in Residence, Saint Peter’s College