I use my body as my medium to draw in space. The ephemeral, hieroglyphic forms I create emerge spontaneously in solitude and in collaboration with other artists. They are direct emotional responses to the environments I am located within, the people I share them with, internal dialogues and to my body itself. This is the language I use to convey my deepest emotions. Captured photographically, they transform into permanent records of time and space. Committed in monumental form to papyrus, new perceptual dimensions emerge. I am excited to announce the first solo exhibition of my work: 'Ephemeral Hieroglyph' at HSoA Gallery, London in Autumn 2021. This exhibition follows work I undertook with @estorickcollection and @pitzhanger in 2019 and will be staged prior to installations I will create at galleries in the UK/US in 2022. © Dominic Blake 2016-2021
Upcoming:
I am on sabbatical throughout 2024/5, completing two books. I will continue to life model at the Royal Academy Schools and lecture sporadically throughout this period.
'Bloomsbury and Social Justice', book (chapter focusing on the life and work of Duncan Grant). Due for publication in 2026 (details to follow soon).
KCL Centre for Philosophy and Art, 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture (date TBC, 2025).
'Are Life Models Artists?', book, due for publication in 2026 (details to follow soon).
Past:
The Drawing Foundation/ The Courtauld Institute, 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture. 06.24
'Meditations on Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and Charleston', chapter, stocked in Charleston's bookshop and the London Review Bookshop.
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 'Pasquarosa: From Muse to Painter', lecture, April 2024
V&A: 'Subverting Beauty: The Greek and Roman body and Donatello', lecture, Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre, March 2023.
V&A: 'Alien Entity VII' (videographic installation), March 2023.
V&A: Friday Late: The Body Beautiful | Panel discussion: 'Dominic Blake and Whiskey Chow in conversation with Dan Vo' (a response to the exhibition 'Donatello: Sculpting the Renaissance'), March 2023.
University of Leeds School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies: 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, March 2023.
University of Cambridge Faculty of Classics: 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, February 2023 at the Museum of Classical Archaeology).
The National Gallery: 'Symbiosis through Sitting', lecture followed by a conversation with Matthew Morgan, director of Turner's House Museum. Part of the NG's programme of events for it's Freud exhibition. Jan 2023.
Aesthetics Research Centre, University of Kent: 'Revaluing the Life Model in Art Practice', symposium, co-curator with Dr. Aurélie Debaene, May 2022.
University of Kent, 'Are Life Models Artists (or Mercenary Drawing Instruments?)', lecture, May 2022.
University of Kent, 'Are Life Models Artists (or Mercenary Drawing Instruments?): An Experiential Analysis', paper, May 2022.
Royal College of Art: 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, February 2022.
The Crypt Gallery, London: Artist in Residence: (Abstract Entity VII - durational performance), September, 2021
Charleston Press No. 4: 'Model and Artist in One Body'; chapter co-authored with Aurélie Debaene, commissioned by The Charleston Trust, August 2021.
Aesthetica Magazine: Contributing writer, August 2021.
Royal College of Art: 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, February 2021.
The National Gallery: 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, 2019.
Mall Galleries: 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, 2019.
HSoA Gallery: 'Are Life Models Artists?', lecture, 2019.
Pitzhanger Manor (Performance, Anish Kapoor at Pitzhanger), 2019
London Drawing, 'Experimental Forms', Durational Performance 2019
Royal Society of Sculptors, Signals - Durational performance , 2018
