ARTISTS' STATEMENTS
“There was once a time when through my art I wanted to be the centre of attention, the focus of minds, the orb around which creative inspiration, revolves. Times have changed. I no longer wish to be the pearl in the oyster, rather the grains of sand within the shell that act as a catalyst, urging the pearl to take shape, form over time and go out into the world. This is my journey now, that is my path”
A. Dee
At the core of Negative Space are three artists/designers, each with different skills, strengths and abilities, making us an effectively dynamic and creative unit.
This is a part of our creative journey so far;
About
A. Dee: Biography
The ARTFUL DODGER (A. Dee) is widely credited with being amongst the first aerosol writers (urban artists) to come out of the UK, making the successful transition from the streets to the commercial world. Though having produced numerous artworks for clients such as LucasFilm (Star Wars), Heathrow Airport, EA Games, MTV, The South Bank Show and the breakfast cereal Weetabix, it is the field of public art and creative awareness where his passion truly lies.
Whilst organising numerous art projects and workshops for young people all over the UK (with one, on a housing estate in South London, winning an award from the late Diana, Princess of Wales), A. Dee also works with children’s arts charities and organisations such as SP8 Of The Art. He is also a patron of Futureversity — one of the UK’s largest Youth Arts, Education and Employment charities that organises and runs a wide variety of free projects for young people aged 11−25 during the summer and also helps young people find employment throughout the rest of the year. Other patrons of the charity include Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Sunshine, 127 Days and Slumdog Millionaire) and global music artist Dizzee Rascal (a former Futureversity student).
For the past two years he has worked with Olga, with whom he has worked with on a number of high-profile community arts projects through their organisation IdenticonArts (including The Skills Show at Birmingham’s NEC (National Exhibition Centre) where they held an intensive 3-day Illustrative Design Workshop and Live Painting Demonstration in front of 75,000 people, and an arts and activism project in Ukraine called Street Art for Inclusion with a group of international young people and local orphans).
In addition to this, A. Dee has been writing and developing a series of children’s books to help educate and inspire present and future generations about the importance of ecology and ocean awareness.
WHO WE ARE
We are Negative Space, an arts collective set up with the aim of creating an artist-run space for artists to meet, exhibit and sell their work. Through our workshops we promote ways in which Art can be used to help draw out the inert creativity in others, whilst at the same time helping early career artists. Our pop up shop, artist talks and exhibitions aims to provide a hub in South London to help creativity connect, irrespective of style, format and discipline.
We are not just Fine Artists, we are ‘define’ artists, as we are constantly redefining what we are in relation to our arts practice.