Dirk Esprey was born in Queenstown (Eastern Cape) South Africa 30 March 1968, currently working from his studio in New Zealand.
Sketching in metal best describes the style of my work. The sculptures are autobiographical and idiosyncratic. The content of the work is edgy and expressionistic, transcending the boundaries between the fantastical and the surreal.
Inspiration is from experience and observation. New work often stems from the need to understand and expose the actual. Fantasy work is usually about a subject that does not exist at all. Downloading such a ‘being’ onto the material plane is most rewarding.
‘The Family’ series is black ferrograin powder-coated, dark, matt, a series which is satirical and emotionally charged. Seeking to expose the true nature of each character. This undercoat speaks of unwittingly brooding, self-absorbed beings, incapable of escaping the gravity of their ‘condition’ or position. Insectivorous creatures of circumstances frozen in definitive poses, insistent on survival.
In life one is confronted by characters who carry the dubious ability to entice, entertain, and subsequently damage unwittingly or, even in full knowledge of their behaviour. I seek to convey the true emotions and motives hidden behind the cosmetic façade/mask that people hide behind.
The works, like life, invite different views and opinions – ‘for he who has eyes – let him see’. They are an autobiographical experiential statement manifested in physical form. These statements are cathartic therapy, as well as wry sign posts for the viewer to read/heed, if applicable.
