ABOUT

Edinburgh-born, Glasgow-based visual artist. Samantha Dick is a multi-disciplined artist and creative, working and living in Glasgow. The basis of Dick’s practice is their rejection of social expectation. How can one best dismantle the social and psychological constraints placed upon the bodies by an oppressive society? Through their work, the viewer is encouraged to explore their own sense of normality alongside the artist; challenging gender norms, addressing power relations and conformity, whilst disrupting rooted ideals of civilisation. You are constantly drawn back to Dick’s interest in ‘The Other’ and its relations to dominance. How can ‘The Other’ become the dominant and subsequently, how may we dismantle the dominant? The materiality of Dick’s work holds no strict material form, working across disciplines such as video, photography, collage, performance and installation. The fluidity of materials within their practice reflects the non-conformity and malleability of Dick’s research interests: perspectives, distortion and the dismantling of a heteronormative contemporary world. The concept of “Clowning” is also integral to how Dick pushes the boundaries of a formal white-room exhibition setting; using theatrical play as a way to encourage the viewer to critique and disrupt their sense of normality. Dick is also a member and co-founder of the art collective Where People Sleep, a non-hierarchical, DIY, artist’s space. They host exhibitions and events in flats around Glasgow, with the key ethos of community and experimentatio.