Utilizing stencils, spray paint and more traditional painting methods, Fin DAC’s work has been displayed around the world: from Berlin to Miami, and from Cartagena de Indias to Dublin, both on the street and occasionally in galleries.
C.A.V. E. Gallery, 1108 Abbot Kenney Blvd., in Venice, is currently hosting the Irish artist’s work in his first solo exhibit, through July 5.
In all honesty, it’s not important how I, or anyone else, sees me but how others view my work. Hopefully, my work does all the talking that’s required and asks the right questions of the viewer. I have defined myself as an urban aesthetic because my work and style [are] all about beauty in the urban landscape.
You’ve created murals in various locations, including Miami, Hong Kong, Dublin, Berlin and Madrid. How did you end up with such a global scope in your art?
Chance, determination and a hefty dose of not wanting to be confined by preconceptions. I took a chance, ignored the routine of life for a while and just seemed to end up here. I never wanted to be a gallery artist or at least not to be defined by that world, but changes in the way the world viewed street art coincided with me catching the travel bug.
Turning the notion of street art on its head. Yes, the pieces are still in the public domain, but they’re not easy to access or find. I like that idea a lot because when [you] come across something beautiful when you’re least expecting it, the impact is greatly enhanced.
How did your rooftop mural in the wilds of the Shek O peninsular on Hong Kong island come to be, and in what way was it “secretive?”
Simply an invite from a personal friend, her own rooftop and four days of painting in the sun. The exact location hasn’t and will never be revealed. The only people who will see it are certain friends, extremely intrepid explorers or the odd paraglider from Shek-O itself.
In selecting other artists to help you paint your murals, how do you ensure that your singular vision is upheld?
I don’t seek help when painting my own work. I work with other artists on collaboration murals and only work with those whose work resonates with me. I trust my instincts 100 percent. Doing a collaboration mural is not so much about maintaining a singular vision. It’s more about finding a middle ground that raises both artists’ work to a higher level.
The show is essentially a “greatest hits” package. Imagery that is well known from my street work but has either never or rarely appeared on gallery walls. It’s the culmination of three years of travelling and painting on all the continents of the world and possibly the one and only chance to see this imagery close up.
For more information, visit cavegallery.net .
