Guy Denning was born in North Somerset in 1965. He has been obsessed with visual art since childhood and started painting in oils at the age of eleven after receiving a set of old paints from a relative that had grown bored with them. Through the 1980s, he was repeatedly unsuccessful in his applications to study painting at degree level, but continued creating and learning the technical aspects of oil painting from more experienced painters that he knew in Somerset. He continued to study Art History and received his degree from The Open University.
Denning had various jobs from the age of 20, to support his family, while continuing to paint. Since he grew up in a Somerset village outside Bristol and saw the local rural economy crumble throughout the 1980s, he has been interested in responding to society in one type of political narrative or another.
With his discovery in 1980 of the bands CRASS, The Dead Kennedys and Poison Girls, Denning associated himself with the second wave of punk and saw the light in terms of street art. Following the stenciled text aesthetic and anarchist politics of the band CRASS, and the photo-montage vision of artist Gee Vaucher, Denning started peppering west-country towns with his particular paste-up style and sometimes surreal political messaging. In a time when graffiti was generally defined by a US styled, hip-hop inspired vision Denning would frequently challenge what seemed to him then as a style with little political content. His preferred attack was to simply stencil the word “WHY?” next to this ‘traditional’ graffiti that he found when carrying his paint and stencils.
In his college applications he was told that he needed to move away from his overtly figurative style and to be more subtle in regards to how he confronted politics as a subject matter. He was too literal, they said, and too ferocious. His crudely photocopied paste-ups were declared too graphic, the subject matter was inappropriate for fine art and photocopying was not considered a legitimate art printing method. He was also surprised and not a little angry that his distinct Somerset accent became the subject of conversation at one of these interviews.
Instead of listening, he refined his technique. Instead of giving up, he learned to become resilient, disciplined, focused. So, to conclude: Guy Denning had no choice; he taught himself how to be an artist.
Denning has an impressive but unorthodox affinity with mixing media and techniques together. Stencils, spray cans, brushwork, dripping paint, crayons, gold-leaf, marker pen and conté pastel… Some pieces drawn on mid-toned paper, newsprint or torn packing card that give them an expressive economy. The mid tones are already there, which means he can focus his powerful and deceptively simple draughtsmanship all the more on the contrast and highlights added in black and white.
With his painting Denning uses not only powerful brush strokes to express himself but also scratches and tears the paint and surface to an extent where he has had to crudely stitch it back together. He frequently adds stenciled and collaged text to oil paintings.
He has been invited to work on a variety of community urban art projects where he has developed a distinctive style that builds images from drawing and text.
In 2010, Denning presented 30 paintings based on stills from 1928 film “La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc”, tackling historical political machinations, at the London exhibition titled “Behemoth”.
In 2011 he presented “Inferno”, the first part of his three-part series of oil paintings on Dante’s Commedia in Bologna; this was his first exhibition in Italy and the complete exhibition sold out.
In 2011, he presented the second part of the series in New York City for the exhibition “Purgatorio”. Originally drawing inspiration from Dante’s writings, his intention was not to recreate the poem in a visual or literal sense, but instead let the “Purgatorio” series act as a framework for his own personal interpretation of the world following 9/11. As with the writing of Shakespeare, Denning finds a perpetual relevance in Dante’s work where the specifics of name, situation and place are easily adapted to the modern world; as if time moves on but the problems of humanity remain essentially the same. The events of September 11th and the emotional toll it took on the US identity was a critical element to this body of work. Poignantly enough, this exhibition was held in a ‘pop-up’ location just blocks from Ground Zero and on the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
His 2015 show in Paris, coinciding with the COP21 climate talks, was aptly named “The Party is Over” and it focused on our belonging to the last generation enjoying an abundance of natural resources, with future generations having to mop up the mess after our hangover. It was a gallery exhibition following a year where Denning had been pasting up his “Paradis est ici” angel drawings worldwide and talking to groups of students to bring greater attention to the COP21 talks.
In February 2016, Denning had his most recent solo exhibition at La Neomudejar de Atocha in Madrid. The show continued his exploration of political and environmental issues through a series of artworks depicting angels, refugees and portraits related to the recent COP21 event in Paris; all created in his dark, dramatic, even Baroque, style. With nods to the work of one of his main painting heroes, Francisco Goya, Denning’s work was very well received by his first Spanish audience and a piece entered the museum’s permanent collection.
Guy Denning is an unbelievable blend of talent, intelligence and sheer courage. The fact he is mostly self-educated only brings more admiration to his portfolio. Not many street artists reach the heights that Denning has, let alone simultaneously cross the borders into contemporary, urban and fine art whilst referencing the grand tradition of European pre-Modernist painting.
His work is also held in several other public collections, including the Politics Department of Bristol University, the Political Science Department at Galway University, the MAGI’900 Museum of Contemporary Art, Bologna and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Brest.
Since 2007 Guy Denning has lived, and continues to work, in Finistere, France.

This November, Artlands is pleased to present Altered Eyes, a multi-faceted group exhibition bound to lure the mind’s inquiring eye. Altered Eyes refers to alternate ways of seeing the world through visuals that are ethereal, emotional, surreal, macabre, or even a little demented. Taking place in Redlands, CA and curated by Zara Kand, this show will feature a fine roster of prominent and emerging artists from across the globe, including Manny Zamudio, Vanessa Powers, Jennifer O’Connell, Daniel Martin Diaz, Gregory Hergert, Alexandra Bowers, Matthew Dutton, Moon Patrol, Christiane Cegavske, Vezun, Maria Zherdeva, Aaron Sheppard, Eliran Kantor, Isaiah Mulz, Catherine Ruane, Damien Barton, Austin Hart, and Colleena Hake. The variety of 2 and 3D wall hung works that will be on display are palpably as unique and provocative as the show title suggests.

The exhibition dates are from November 2 – November 30th, with an opening reception on Saturday, November 2nd from 7-9pm featuring a live performance by Sean Wheeler (of Throw Rag) featuring El Padre El Don. We hope you will join us for this epic event!

Bring your favorite vinyl record and join us as we build community over music and great local wines

Featuring an original copy of “Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis

Featuring a vinyl DJ set by Daniel Gohman

Gitane Demone (Gitane Demone Quartet, Ex-Christian Death), Rikk Agnew (ex-Adolescents/Christian Death), and Deb Venom (Gitane Demone Quartet) play live to close out the five year anniversary show for Artlands Downtown Redlands.

Closing Reception for "When You Rock And Roll With Me", the debut solo art show by Monkey, the legendary lead singer of The Adicts.

6-9pm at Artlands Downtown Redlands | 18 E. Vine St., Redlands, CA

After-party next door at The Vault at 9pm

Live performances by:
Joe Wood (Change Today, Formerly of TSOL)
Integra Pink
Swing Auditorium
Snare Noise

The debut solo art exhibition from Monkey, mixed-media artist and legendary frontman of The Adicts!

Curated by John Nikolai | A Punks For Pussies Production

Opening: 1/6/2024

Exhibition: 1/6 - 1/31/2024

Featured Artists:

Charlie Harper | UK Subs
David Yow | Scratch Acid/Jesus Lizard
Edward Colver | Legendary punk rock photographer
Fur Dixon | The Cramps
Gaye Black | The Adverts
Gitane Demone | Christian Death
Godlis | Punk rock & street photographer
Jamie Reid | Iconic visual artist & art director for The Sex Pistols
John Holmstrom | Creator of Punk Magazine, cartoonist, & writer
John Nikolai | Music photographer & curator
Julie H. Rose | Mixed-media artist/The Cramps
Kyra Schon | Actress, Night of the Living Dead
Mike Leach | Rock photographer
Monkey | The Adicts
Patricia Morrison | The Bags/The Gun Club/The Sisters of Mercy/The Damned
Stephen Blickenstaff | Illustrator/The Skeptics

Live show featuring:

Tequila Mockingbird & the Blonde Moondust

Peg Leg Love

Khakis

Art, Photography, & Design vendors

Vintage & Crafts from Redlands Makers Market

Zinefest by Curious Publishing

Live Performances from El Santo Golpe, Adam Et. Al., & DJ Lis Bomb

Food, Beer Garden, Interactive Activities

Join us for the opening of SENTIMENTALITY, a group photography exhibition curated by Itsbeenmadreal.

Featuring:

Yo!909

A Westside Story

The Local90

Seangon

77 Dead

JoseXShoots

Str8hungy

Christopher Details

THVTKIDG

Filmvida

Jacbo

Itsbeenmadreal

A multifaceted music and art event in Downtown Redlands, CA featuring:

Gallery show | “Pay It No Mind” group exhibition for Pride Month, curated by Jina Imani

Art, Print, & Design vendors

Zinefest | Curious Publishing

Redlands Makers Market

Bloody Gums Collective

Rat Nest Sticker Co.

Live performances by | Marsh Davis, Babyghost, The Blank Tapes, Phanny Dantom

Sound by INLAND

A group exhibition featuring students from the Johnston Center of Integrative Studies at the University of Redlands

Come hear from and meet artists Maryam Ghaffari, Michelle Voss, & JD Rudometkin

Join us Saturday March 4th from 6-9pm at The Artlands in Downtown Redlands for the opening of “Dreamt Up in Conchilla” by Coachella Valley and Los Angeles-based artist Anta52

Artworks by Joshua Almendinger, Michelle Voss, J.D. Rudometkin, Myriam Ghaffari/MSMIM

After-Party to follow at Mas O Menos Bar

Our 3rd annual Black History Month group art show, curated by Jina Imani