Neequaye Dreph Dsane
b. 1973, England
Dreph’s work is rooted in community engagement and aims to centre and amplify everyday people from his community through figuration. In-depth conversations, drawings and photographs inform large scale street murals and oil paintings in the studio. He strives to present alternative narratives, whilst capturing the humanity and essence of those that he is inspired to paint. His sitters have been friends, family or those that he has met whilst painting in the streets. He has explored themes that include the climate crisis, migration and women’s empowerment. Dreph is interested in how he can enhance the viewers experience and has made bodies of work in series, requiring the viewer to traverse the city to see all of the paintings in their entirety.
Dreph is an Illustration lecturer at Portsmouth University and lives and works in London
Photo : Conor Gault
Education
PGDE Level 6 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (post 16 PGCE equivalent); 2012, University of Bolton
BA Art, Design & Media (Illustration pathway); 1997, Portsmouth University.
Selected Exhibitions & Projects
2022 The World Reimagined, national art trail
2022 NAEOpen, New Art Exchange, group exhibition, Nottingham,
2021 Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition
2021 Ruth Borchard (Long listed), virtual exhibit
2020 Portraits of Yesteryear, virtual exhibit
2020 50 Windows Public Art trail, Manchester
2019 Sky Arts Portrait Artists of Year contestant, London
2018 Migration, mural project, London
2017 You Are Enough, mural project, London
2017 , After Hours: Soul Of A Nation, 3 day live painting, Tate Modern, London
2016 Artists Series, mural project, London
2009 Cracked, group exhibition, London
2008 Cans Festival 2. London
2006 Lines Of Attitude, group exhibition and mural project – South Africa And Kenya
2004 Underground Resistance, curation / group exhibition, London
2003 Sublime Intervention, Manchester
1991 Icons, group exhibition, Croydon
Bibliography
Still Breathing: 100 Black Voices on Racism – 100 Ways to Change the Narrative, Harper Inspire, July 2021
Simon Armstrong, “Street Art (Art Essentials)”. Thames & Hudson , Oct 2019
Tristan Manco, “Street Sketchbook: Inside the Journals of International Street and Graffiti Artists”, Thames & Hudson, Oct 2007
JAKe, The Mammoth Book of Street Art by Barnes & Noble
Residencies
October 2022, Rise Up Residency, Margate, UK
August 2019, Projeto Xalabas, Cape Verde
November 1019, Favela Sounds, Sol Nascente, Ceilândia, Brazil
Talks
2019, Tedx Tottenham, Bernie Grant Arts Center, London, April 2019
2018, Common Thread, Crafts Council & Creative Debuts, London
2018, Onley Prison
2018, Guest lecturer, University of Portsmouth
2017, Royal Institute of British Architects, London
2017, Black Blossoms & Shades of Noir Artist Conference, University of Arts, London
