Michael Dandley

Originally from Massachusetts, USA, I currently live and work in Zürich, Switzerland.

My paintings describe a world separate from, but perhaps, distantly related to our own. A place where ancient machines and prowling monsters traverse a landscape spotted with the rubble of earlier ages.  Following this world’s internal rules and history, I have begun to depict the behavior, abilities, and technologies of the world's inhabitants as they navigate this strange and often volatile realm.

Each painting begins with a detailed graphite drawing on paper rendered from a combination of source photographs and my own internal understanding of how objects are constructed. Pigment is applied over graphite with water soluble gouache. the initial application of paint is made in thin washes that build in opacity as finer details are layered atop the underpainting. Color-palette is selected to evoke emotion and imply energies typically invisible to the naked eye. The stylization borrows from pop iconography of the late 20th century that first formed my visual memory through film and graphic novels.

Michael Dandley's newest collection is available for purchase below. Read the press release for Lone Splendor here.