Steve Turner is pleased to present Lockdown, a solo online exhibition by London-based Dominic Dispirito. The works were all completed after London was ordered locked down to combat the spread of Covid-19 in late March 2020 and they all depict a lone female character in her home. This figure is meant to represent the artist’s mother, a frequent subject in his works, and someone who in turn is meant to represent working class London in a time of transcendent crisis. Dispirito created the works by piping brightly colored acrylic paint through icing bags. In so doing he created highly textured, sculptural paintings whose outward exuberance masks an underlying despair.

Dominic Dispirito (b. 1982, London) earned a BFA from Middlesex University, London (2013) and an MFA from the Slade School of Fine Art, London (2017). Dispirito has had solo exhibitions at Steve Turner, Los Angeles (2019) and Anna Kultys Gallery, London (2018 & 2019). He has also had work in group exhibitions at Steve Turner (2019) and The Dot Project, London (2017). Dispirito lives and works in London.

Dominic Dispirito creates paintings that celebrate the British working class and his upbringing in the heart of Cockney London. Among them are those that depict “Pearly Queens,” Cockney characters who originated in Victorian London and evolved from the Coster Kings and Queens, the elected leaders of London’s street hawkers. Other works depict a single figure that represents the artist’s mother, a frequent subject in his works, and someone who in turn is meant to represent working class London in a time of transcendent crisis. Dispirito's latest works were made by piping brightly colored acrylic paint through icing bags. In so doing he created highly textured, sculptural paintings whose outward exuberance masks an underlying despair.

Born 1982, London
Lives and works in London

Education
2017
MFA, Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London

2013
BFA, Middlesex University, London

Solo Exhibitions
2020
Lockdown, Steve Turner, Los Angeles

2019
Pearly Party, Steve Turner, Los Angeles
Pie and Mash, Annka Kultys Gallery, London

2018
In the Garden, Council Housed and Violent, Annka Kultys Gallery, London

Group Exhibitions
2020
Alter Ego, Unit Gallery, London

2019
Untitled, Miami Beach (with Steve Turner)
Sunday Art Fair (with Steve Turner), London
Enter Art Fair (with Steve Turner), Copenhagen
Power of Ten, Steve Turner, Los Angeles

2018
I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that, Arebyte Gallery with isthisit?, London
Material Art Fair (with Annka Kultys Gallery), Mexico City
CACOTOPIA 02, Annka Kultys Gallery, London
Bound, Peer, London

2017
Candy, The Dot Project, London
GIFC (curated by Charlie Roberts, traveling exhibition): Art Athina, Greece;
Macaulay & Co Fine Art, Vancouver; Soulland, Denmark; The Hole, New York; Rod Bianco Gallery, Oslo; Gallery Steinsland Berliner, Stockholm; 0-0 LA, Los Angeles; Atlanta Contemporary; R/SF Projects, San Francisco; Mass Gallery, Austin; NADA Art Fair New York; David Risley Gallery, Copenhagen; Drugstore KC, Kansas City
The Politics of Too Many Rubbish Dinner Parties, Chalton Gallery, London

2016
Faith, Slade School of Fine Art, London

Grants and Awards
2017
Adrian Carruthers Studio Award, ACME Studios, London
Bruce Maclean Prize, Slade School of Fine Art, London
Nominated for the Boise Travel Award, UCL, London

Bibliography
2020
Borshe, Mirko. Issue #125, Super Paper, March

2018
Halls, Eleanor. “When will we give working class creatives the support they deserve?” British GQ, October 27
Moe, Karen. “Mexico City’s International Celebration of Art: ZONA MACO and the Material Art Fair 2018,” White Hot, February

2017
Kostarias, Yannis. “Dominic Dispirito’s digitally influenced imagery challenges the traditional art standards,” Art Verge, December 8
Nafziger, Christina. “From iPhone image to 3-D printed drawing: the art work of Dominic Dispirito,” Art Maze Mag, November 30
Beardsworth, Bee. “Sweet & Sour: a review of The Dot Project’s ‘Candy’ exhibition,” Teeth Magazine, November 6
Irving, India. “17 Up-and-Coming Artists on Instagram Who Could Make You Rich,” The Culture Trip, October 25
“5 Art Awards & Prizes To Know About,” Something Curated, October 24
“Artists Cristina BanBan & Dominic Dispirito Exaggerate Modern Day Banalities in New Show, ‘Candy’” Amadeus Magazine, October 4
Watkins, Holly. “Dominic Dispirito,” October
Bingham, John. “Dominic Dispirito,” October
Jones, Dylan. “The painter’s touch screen,” British GQ, September
“Dominic Dispirito Selected for the Adrian Carruthers Studio Award 2017-2018,” Acme Studios, July 13 “Degree Show Highlights: Slade School of Fine Art,” Elephant Magazine, June 16