Joe Denyer-Simmons Street dreams

My work captures the fleeting innocence of youth, the joy and the melancholy of being absorbed in something you love, and the connections between people, places and performance spaces. The layering of textures, rhythmic movements, muted colours, streetlighting and Gary Jules singing his version of ‘Mad world’ creates a sense of poignancy. The dreamlike images depict the enthusiasm of those who practise and perform, but might never achieve fame, acclaim or even acknowledgement. This seems particularly relevant to young people in country towns. Installing the vignettes in ‘worn-out places’ used by young people makes my work accessible to this audience.

Influencing artists: Shaun Gladwell, Jeffrey Smart, Craig Walsh, Gregory Crewdson