Dean West, “one of the world’s best emerging photographers” (AFTER CAPTURE MAGAZINE), has a highly conceptual and thought-provoking style of contemporary portraiture. His body of work has been featured in top photography magazines, art galleries, and received numerous international awards.
Born in small-town rural Australia in 1983, Dean’s love for photography began in his high school’s darkroom- one of the largest darkrooms in the country at the time- and blossomed at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. In Dean’s graduating year, he claimed Gold and Silver medals at the Australian Institute of Professional Photographer’s Awards (AIPP) and runner up for student of the year.
After graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Photography with majors in visual culture and advertising, Dean formed a partnership, which won nationwide acclaim as a high-end photography and post-production studio, Berg+West. Through clients like the QLD Government and SONY, Dean quickly learned to transform stick figure sketches into intricate composited photographs with immense detail and clarity.
Now based in Canada, Dean is about to unveil his last 2 years of blood, sweat and tears – a multimedia collaboration with New York sculptor, Nathan Sawaya. The theme examined in their series ‘In Pieces’ is how identity of contemporary man is strongly manipulated and commercialised.
Awards
Winner of the IV International Arte Laguna Prize
Fotografica, ‘Fabricate’ Venice, Italy 2010
Illustrative Photographer of the Year
International Loupe Awards, Australia 2011
Pollux Award | Worldwide Photography Gala 2011
Directors Special Mention, Fabricate
Official Selection Prix De L Photographie Paris
Paris, France 2011
Advertising & Fashion Photographer of the Year
International Aperture Awards, Australia 2010
Emerging Photographer of Canada
Flash Forward, Magenta Foundation, Canada 2011
Applied Arts Magazine Winner, Canada 2011
‘Fabricate’
Applied Arts Magazine Winner, Canada 2011
‘Around the Bend’
International Photography Awards 2011
Lucie Foundation 2nd Place, Fine Art Pro, USA
AIPP Australian Professional Photographer Awards 2011
Creative Photographer of the Year Runner Up
Visual Artist of the Year 2010
Africa Photographic Awards, Johannesburg, South Africa
Winner in the 4th Annual Masters Cup
International Colour Awards, London, United Kingdom
Applied Arts Winner, Canada 2010
‘Fabricate’
Applied Arts Winner, Canada 2010
‘Every Dink Counts’ QLD Government
International Photography Awards Honourable Mention
Lucie Foundation, USA, 2009
Australia’s Top Photographer Nominee
Creative Magazine
Advertising Photographer of the Year
International Aperture Awards, USA 2008
Top 100 Emerging Photographers
Saatchi & Saatchi, Cannes, France 2008
Exhibitions
‘saving daylight’ dell gallery, brisbane, aus ‘2006’
australian photographer awards, appa, aus ‘2007’
‘showcase’ palais des festivals, cannes, france ‘2008’
‘diafragma’ revistas judas, quita, equador ‘2009’
‘the new twenties’ idn, los angeles, usa ‘2009’
‘fwa awards’ potd, hertfordshire, england ‘2009’
‘fabricate’ arte laguna, tese di san cristoforo, venice, italy ‘2010’
‘northern lights’ atelier 688, toronto, canada ‘2010’
‘fabricate’ one800 gallery, toronto, canada ‘2010’
‘fabricate’ fornace di asolo, treviso, italy ‘2010’
‘snap’ ACT national ballet school, canada ‘2011’
‘process’ jam3 gallery, canada ‘2012’
‘worldwide biennial WGPA’ palais de glace, buenos aires, argentina ‘2012’
‘photo reload ‘ digital natives, romberg gallery, italy ‘2012’