Joshua Daniels
Subtle Surrealism
A perpetual humorist
In the realm of contemporary art, Joshua Daniels has carved a notable space for himself. He brilliantly balances deep, thought-provoking themes with a touch of light-heartedness. His art showcases a mix of subtle pastels and standout primary colours, inviting viewers to both reflect and revel in the moment.
Every artwork of his offers a glimpse into the wonders of nature. While humour plays a significant role in his creations, it doesn’t overshadow the meticulous attention to composition and design. On a closer look, Daniels’s pieces reveal layered meanings—combining playful surface elements with deeper personal stories and insights.
He graduated with a BA in Fine Art and Art History from the University of Kent in 2013. His works span painting, ceramics, printmaking and digital media and are a part of private collections in the UK, US and Japan.
Seasaw
Oil on canvas
175 x 130 cm | 68 x 51 inch
2023
£2,800
Fitting In
Oil on Canvas
175 x 130 cm | 68 x 51 inch
2023
£2,400
Goat Pineapple
Oil on Canvas
70 x 80 cm | 27 x 31 inch
2023
£1,700
Orange and Blue
Oil on Canvas
70 x 80cm |. 27 x 31 inch
2023
SOLD
Leaps and Bounds
Oil on Canvas
175 x 130 cm | 68 x 51 inch
2023
£2,000
Olga IV
Oil on Canvas
60 x 90cm. |. 23 x 35 inch
2023
£2,000
Making Mountains
Oil on Canvas
70 x 80 cm. |. 27 x 31 inch
2023
£1,700
Different Light
Oil on Canvas
70 x 80 cm. |. 27 x 31 inch
2022
£2,000
Joshua stretched a canvas on the table he paints on as a means to easily swipe and rub the paint into the brush as he worked on numerous paintings. After removing the material from the table he saw something that reminded him of instinctive childlike markings that some parents may relate to. The markings are almost entirely unconscious and achieve what abstractionists seek to accomplish when pursuing a spontaneous touch. He depicts part of himself as his signature tortoise gazing up at the incomprehensible graffiti in a moment of contentment or confusion.
Sticks and Stones
Oil on Canvas
50 x 39 cm | 19.5 x 15 inch
2022
£480
Klein's Frog
Giclee print on Hahnemühle rag paper
25.4 x 25.4 cm |. 10 x 10 inch
2023
edition of 25
£80 | £120 framed
A Slow and Steady Illustrated Guide to Art Movements
(A2 Poster)
42 x 59cm | 16.5 x 23.5 inch
2022
£24 | £60 framed
Framed print
Framed print
Flying Ant Day
The picture depicts an anteater reaching for a paper aeroplane filled with ants – inspired by Salvador Dali, and Japanese Kaiju. They are either making an escape or awaiting their fate. The tongue of the anteater is yet to leave its mouth, and therefore this is a cliffhanger narrative.
- 60cm high
- 45 cm wide
- 2.5cm deep
- Edition of 50
Oil on cavas
Bonsai & Goat
Inspired by the seemingly impossible images of goats balanced on trees in Morrocco, Joshua has interpreted the surreal into the surreal. If you were to leave a Goat in a room with a Bonsai, would it climb it… It’s exciting to think that nothing is impossible.
- 58cm high
- 48cm wide
- Wooden float frame
SOLD
Oil on canvas
Different Light
- 100cm high
- 100cm wide
- 4cm deep
- Wooden float frame
Oil on canvas
Crab
- 87cm high
- 53cm wide
- 4cm deep
- Wooden float-frame
Oil on cavas
Klein's Frog
Daniels creates visually appealing work, which is instantly clear in message and appearance, making further analysis and interpretation accessible to the viewer. Here we see a witty comment from Daniels, as he nods toward Yves Klein – the famous french modern artist, whose iconic blue body imprints are a cornerstone of contemporary art. Daniels demonstrates the process of the art itself; his piece tells the story of the creation of the work within the work. The footprints of the imprinted frog are visible in front of the canvas; they appear to be uncertain and do not lead a clear path towards the canvas, instead hesitantly facing different directions, before the final act has taken place: the frog throwing its own body onto the canvas. The work comments on the moments of contemplation before an instance of sudden inspiration and expression. Ultimately, the piece is a portrait of the act of creating a self-portrait, leading viewers to consider the artist behind the art.
- 48cm high
- 38cm high
- 3cm deep
- Wooden float frame
Pencil on paper
Oryx and Onyx
Oryx and Onyx is a peculiar combination which captures Joshua’s playfulness in title and composition. The title is a simple play on words: while only one letter has been changed, the result is two very different things. This could perhaps highlight the drastic results of a breakdown in communication. The fact that there is a thin and delicate tie between the oryx and onyx on the page suggests that there is also a loose connection between these two objects. When reduced to a sub-atomic level, everything is ultimately made out of the same matter. In this instance, both objects are created on the same page and are intrinsically joined. The thin string line loosely ties the stone to the animal, resulting in the animal appearing to tow the stone behind it, exhibiting strength in its action as it – an unstoppable force – attempts to move an unmovable object.
- 29.7cm high
- 21cm wide
- Framed
Oil on canvas
Greyhound at Whitstable
“This painting was made from a photograph I took whilst in Whitstable. I inconspicuously photographed a greyhound that belonged to a passerby as I had been wanting to paint one for a while, I happened to be struck by the scene that was serendipitously unfolding before me, the light and shadow, the texture of the dog’s fur.
The painting also takes direct inspiration from the Whitstable landscape, how the long stretch of beach is jarringly divided by the groynes, the crash of the waves, the sky meeting the sea, and the ochre land. The subject matter is deconstructed, rearranged and reassembled; the painting isn’t realist, surrealist or entirely representational, it falls somewhere between artistic movements and begins to encompass some of the variety of aesthetic styles that inform my work.”
- 118cm high
- 78cm wide
- 3cm deep
Oil paint on canvas
Frog, Sushi, Soy
- 50cm high
- 40cm wide
- 3cm deep
- Wooden float-frame
Recognition
Awards & Exhibitions
- June 2022 Open Call, Ryebank Gallery, Rye
- Nov 2021 Winter Exhibition, Thrown Contemporary, (online)
- Oct 2020 Artist in residence, Posy and Wild, Kent
- April 2019 Blue, Fitzrovia Gallery, London
- July 2016 Urban Environment, Jak Box Camden, London
- Aug 2015 Let Them Eat Steak, CNB Gallery, Shoreditch, London
- Dec 2014 Profesh, The Gallery on the corner, Battersea, London Dec 2014
- Aug 2014 HIX Award, CNB Gallery, Shoreditch, London
- Jun 2013 43 Whitfield Street, London, W1T 4HD
- Jun 2012 Artistic License, West Kent College, Tonbridge
- Jan 2012 Inspirations, Maidstone Museum, Maidstone
- Oct 2011 Cocoon, Lyon’s House, Tonbridge
- Jul 2010 There is Beauty in the City, Ezcurdia 30 gallery, Gijon, Spain
