BIOGRAPHY
Cimmermann has exhibited widely throughout the UK since graduating with a degree in Fine Art from Leeds Metropolitan University in 2001, including twice within the prestigious BP Portrait Prize. Cimmermann’s colourful paintings and murals are a meeting of ‘street’ and ‘studio’, a reflection upon British identity and a rebellion against societal rules of old. Through a process of reworking layers of paint and pen Cimmermann defaces classical works of art history, and creates new narratives and value systems. His expressive body of work encapsulates a dissatisfaction with the current system of politics and offers liberation from symbols of wealth and power.
His paintings are built up using several layers of paint, starting with washes in inks and glaze medium and building up to impasto oil paint applied with a palette knife and oil bar. He draws inspiration from the interesting surfaces on peeling, crumbling walls in cities, where many stripped back layers of paint and plaster reveal a sense of history and act as a reminder of faded memories. He is inspired by urban walls covered with fragments of torn posters, graffiti and advertisements. Dan mainly works with figurative photographs and paintings that he finds evocative. He uses these images together to construct a composition that may or may not include a narrative.
CV
BA hons Fine Art. Leeds Met University, Leeds.
Head of Art. Pocklington School, York.
Exhibitions
2016
‘Northern Portrait Award’ Finalist, April 2016. The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle.
‘Marching On’ solo exhibition, October 2016 at Rise Gallery, London.
2017
150 years of E. Tautz June 2017
‘Semblance exhibition’, July 2017 at Well Hung Gallery, London.
‘Autumn Exhibition’, October 2017, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle.
Moniker art fair with Rise Gallery, London. October 2017
‘Borderline’ exhibition November 2017
‘Xmas Show’. Rise Gallery. December 2017
2018
‘Northern Soul’. Solo exhibition at the Biscuit Factory Gallery, Newcastle.
‘Bethlehem Boys Club’ exhibition. Sidney and Matilda Gallery, Sheffield.
Various works displayed at Art Of Protest Gallery, York, Rise Gallery Croydon, Almost Perfect, Tokyo, Red Propeller Gallery, Devon and The Biscuit Factory Gallery, Newcastle.
2019
‘2nd Birthday bash’. Art Of Protest Gallery, York.
‘Under the Influence’. Sidney and Matilda Gallery, Sheffield.
‘Group show’. Almost Perfect Gallery, Tokyo, Japan.
‘Procession’, solo show at Almost Perfect Gallery, Tokyo.
‘Kabuki Bukowski’, solo show at Brick and Mortar, Tokyo.
‘Good Things Come In Small Packages’, group show at Semi Skimmed Gallery, London.
Various works displayed at Art Of Protest Gallery, York, Rise Gallery Croydon, Almost Perfect, Tokyo, Red Propeller Gallery, Devon and The Biscuit Factory Gallery, Newcastle.
2020
‘Microdose’, group show at Booth Gallery, New York City, USA.
‘Empire Hangover’, solo show at Sidney and Matilda Gallery, Sheffield.
‘Portrait Show’. Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco, USA
‘OY OY’. Solo show at Art of Protest Gallery, York
Various works displayed at Art Of Protest Gallery, York, Rise Gallery Croydon, Almost Perfect, Tokyo, Red Propeller Gallery, Devon and The Biscuit Factory Gallery, Newcastle.
2023
‘The Fighters’. Solo exhibition. Gingerworks, Leeds.
‘Rise of the Vandals’. street art event by Bombsquad. York. Group exhibition and mural.
Work displayed at Art of Protest Gallery, York and Biscuit Factory Gallery, Newcastle.
2024
‘Return of the Vandals’, street art event by Bombsquad. York. Group exhibiton and mural.
‘Female Heads in Profile’. Solo exhibition. Fish and Forest. York
Work displayed at Heath Kane Gallery, Saffron Walden, Art of Protest Gallery, York and Biscuit Factory Gallery, Newcastle.
Murals
February 2015 ‘Bret Easton Ellis’. Croydon
May 2015 ‘tut tut’. Croydon
August 2015. Mural in Rise Gallery stairwell. Croydon
August 2016 ‘General Disorder’. Bushwick, Brooklyn. New York
October 2016 ‘Shelter From The Storm’ Croydon.
July 2017. ‘Roll On, Steamroller’. Mural in York with Art Of Protest Gallery, York.
July 2017. ‘Tangled’. Mural with Rise Gallery, Croydon.
July – August 2017. Beirut. 6 murals in Aley, Beirut including a work in a Lebanese jail, a 7 metre wall and several works on a bridge on the road to Damascus.
October 2017. Mural collaboration with Mark McClure. Rise Gallery, Croydon.
2018 Mural at Brew York, York organised by Art Of Protest Gallery, York.
2018 George Stephenson mural in Newcastle organised by The Biscuit Factory Gallery, Newcastle.
2019 Mural at Sidney and Matilda, Sheffield.
2019 Mural installation at Brick and Mortar, Tokyo
2019 ‘tut tut tut’ mural at Artisan restaurant at The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle.
2020 Mural to coincide with ‘OY OY’, solo exhibition at Art Of Protest Gallery, York.
2020 mural for Purley Train Station platform, London.
2023 ‘Fight’ mural in Vesterbro, Copenhagen.
2023 ‘Bank Holiday Dance’ mural in Newcastle.
2024. ‘Mackeril’ at Fish and Forest Restaurant, York
Employment:
After graduating from Leeds Met University with a First Class honours degree in Fine Art, 2001 I have worked in several jobs including:
Head of Art. Pocklington School, York.
STATEMENT
Painting large scale figurative mixed media paintings (mainly oil), I draw inspiration from traditional fine art painting merged with elements of street art. I focus on the human figure and use this as a way to experiment with media and various methods of applying paint, mark-making and building up layers of information. My work is often concerned with Britishness – what it is to be British, other nations perceptions of our nation, the behaviour of Brits abroad (grand tour, holidays, stag do’s, etc) and the hangover from our empirical past and how this underpins everything we do today. Themes in my work also include cultural misappropriation and instinctive human behaviours such as fighting, dancing and contemplating (staring out of windows). Political issues and current affairs often infiltrate my work too. I am concerned with the process of painting, layering and merging collage like elements of drawing/painting together to a balanced conclusion – a clear narrative is often revealed in hindsight.
Recent work is heavily influenced by the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists after several visits to Paris.
