In Michael Dandley’s gouache scenes render astral—and sometimes, cataclysmic—phenomenons happening both on Earth and far beyond. Also characteristic of his work are unexpected hues in each painting, whether it’s showing degradation of the planet or explorative adventures.
“After we have touched a landscape, the landscape still has a future,” he says. “These works explore lands fatigued from human use. Echoes of today resonate within these spaces – looming anxieties of war, environmental disaster, and commonplace infrastructure give the impression that the scenes represented are not too far from our own. Many are cast in a future where people are gone, but their footprints remain. Physical structures crumble, yet emotional energies remain – depicted by surreal color and lighting. If places know they have a purpose, Dreamscapes imagines they carry that memory into the future even after we have forgotten them. The future includes the past, the human touch; it is hopeful and discouraging, a daydream and nightmare.”
See more of Dandley’s work below.
