The image in the image of the image. Dan Hillier’s majestic artworks, remind me of the concept of fractals in nature, where a geometric pattern repeats itself progressively, and where by enlarging any part of it, a similar shape to the original is obtained.

In his collages and ink illustrations, in the midst of subconscious recognitions given by intuitive processes and associations of ideas, humour, wonder and curiosity, Dan Hillier counterposes Victorian attributes, found imagery he collects himself – taken from encyclopaedias and antique books – to unite them to his endless imagination.

The final result culminates in an astonishing outcome in terms of detail and choice of subjects that arise strong emotions in the observer because they silently portray the fine line between worldliness and otherworldliness.

Subjects that recount fantastic worlds and archetypes with iconic effects where black thin lines unravel into worlds to be revealed and that reveal themselves at the same time. Hybrid emblematic figures halfway between human and animal evoke magic and obscurity through iconographic depictions of principles and energies of archetypical and divine forms.

There are also many references to Buddhist, Christian, Hindu traditions and totemic Indigenous symbolism.

Raised in Oxford, once graduated Dan travels to India, Nepal, Thailand and Australia before settling in London. After stumbling onto “a near-proper job” as he refers to it, he decides to focus on his artwork completely.

His creations have been exhibited at Saatchi Gallery, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, The Louvre, MuTate Britain, Strychnin Gallery and numerous other galleries both as solo and group shows, becoming known in London, Paris, New York e Turin.

In occasion of the Affordable Art Fair in Milan in January 2018, I see his extraordinary works: I’m struck by the meticulous details and the sense of real-unsettling-surrealism that they instill in me, to the point that I decide to contact him.

.  .  .

WHY
why and how did you end up in your career path?
I’ve never wanted to do anything else, but where I’m at now came about after I accidentally got caught up in a near-proper job for a few years and left art behind. I had a sudden wake-up call when watching a programme about an artist toiling away and started making drawings and playing with found imagery again while I was watching it, and pretty much immediately quit the job to get on with making loads of pictures. I started selling from a market stall in Brick Lane and it’s just built up from there.

WHO
how would you describe yourself in a few words?
Disruptive in class, could try harder, needs more discipline. Creative, kind, positive. Man-about-town-cyclist.

WHAT
what is your source of inspiration?
Everything is the obvious answer I guess – but especially anything that feels like it is pointing to something beyond normal experience. Iconographical depictions of principles and energies given archetypical and godly form in various world traditions particularly light my pipe.  Music / poetry / film / dance that conjures up magic and darkness and strong emotion and otherworldliness / worldliness. Love, wonder, nature. People. Psychedelics, meditation, silence. Coffee, tea, booze. Swimming, walking, reading, writing. Kali. The Buddha. Anger, at the moment.

WHERE
where do you go to when you need a break?
Sri Lanka most recently. Gaia House in Devon for proper quiet – I spent 6 weeks there on silent retreat last year and it did all sorts of good things for me. Dartmoor. Submerging myself into any form of natural or very hot water (except puddles).

WHEN
when and what will your next steps be?
Getting stuck into this year at last – I’ve had a very leisurely beginning to 2018.  I’m already looking forward to a trip to Mount Kailash in Tibet later in the year and am making steps in that direction whilst also looking into a solo show for early 2019… I had an animation coming out on BBC1 too (Requiem, BBC1), which is exciting and the first time I’ve dallied with TV. I have another book cover coming out soon too.  I’ve also really enjoyed getting proper painty and splashing colour about lately with Ania Bieluszko (@littlewhiteear) which is already making me look at finally getting on with including some super colourful aspects in my work that I’ve intended to do for years…

**WILDCARD
if you were to draw your self-portrait which elements would you necessarily include?
The look of the eyes seeing the eyes that are looking for the look in the eyes being looked at.