Michael Dean explores the relationship between text and physicality by utilizing techniques from sculpture, writing, and typography. By employing common materials like steel, concrete, MDF, padlocks, and dyed books, he creates immersive sculptural installations by transforming his writing into physical forms, such as letter-like human-scale figures and self-published books, which serve as sculptural elements within his installations. Although he is interested in transforming language, his sculptures are not meant to be read as words but rather as an alternative form of language. Dean has designed a series of typographic alphabets himself to develop his own personal language, which is reflected in his sculptures. His works explore the timeless subject of human intimacy, with recurring references to the human body, including casts of his children's limbs, fists, and fingers, as well as his own, complete with drilled-out eye holes and tongue muscles. The tongue and its ability to feel, taste, and shape words, holds particular interest for Dean.

Herald St

London

Manifesta

Newcastle upon Tyne

Basel

Art Basel

New York City

Independent

Brussels

Mendes Wood Dm

Berlin

Tanya Leighton

Andrew Kreps Gallery

David Zwirner

Antwerpen

Zeno X Gallery

Los Angeles

Howard Griffin Gallery

São Paulo

Bergamin & Gomide

Paris

Marian Goodman Gallery

Bellflower

Hauser&Wirth

Gladstone Gallery

Corvi-Mora

Prism Gallery

Copenhagen

Nils Stærk

Cubitt Gallery

china art objects

Marcelle Alix

Milan

ZERO…

Turin

Galleria Franco Noero

Shanghai

Shanghart Gallery

Scaramouche Gallery

Goldsmiths CCA

Lisbon

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian

Ica Milano

Royal Academy of Arts

Vienna

Kunsthalle Wien

Rome

Nomas Foundation

Tate

Manchester

Home

David Roberts Art Foundation - Draf

Middelburg

Vleeshal

Hayward Gallery

Sheffield

S1 Artspace

Maastricht

Bonnefanten Museum

Salzburg

Salzburger Kunstverein

Palais De Tokyo

Zabludowicz Collection

Bold Tendencies

Birmingham

Eastside Projects

Arts Council Collection

Dallas

Nasher Sculpture Center

Gent

S.M.A.K. Stedelijk Museum Voor Actuele Kunst

Kadist

Boca Raton

Boca Raton Museum Of Art

Gateshead

Baltic Centre For Contemporary Art (Baltic Flour Mill)

Fondazione Giuliani

South London Gallery

Amsterdam

De Appel

Bristol

Arnolfini

Serpentine Galleries

Newcastle

Laing Art Gallery

Michael Dean

Unfucking Titled (fuck)

Unfuckingtitled (music playing)

Unfuckingtitled) music playing

Focusing on the floor from the rain

Laughing for crying