Cleveland Dean: Parallel Paradox

Artist Statement:

My life as well as my work is centered on the ideal of duality. Taking two extremes and navigating through life, language, relations, and histories in order to make things make sense. Some sensibilities are not merely concrete images that are easy to decipher, ,but that which all the aforementioned come into play in order to make such sensible to you. It is your life, live it.

Work that bridges ideology, history, code, and psyche is what artist Cleveland Dean achieves in his vast array of art. He uses materials to deconstruct the ordinary paradigms of conventional thought and reconstructs them to illustrate the complexities of growth. Cleveland Dean’s approach to continue to push boundaries in the shocking manner of the past enables the artist to, “extract the infinite out of the finite.”

Cleveland Dean is a visual artist, creative entrepreneur, philanthropist, and mentor. His art has been featured in several solo and group exhibitions at The Chicago Cultural Center, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Scope International Contemporary Art Show, Prizm Fair, The Union League Club of Chicago, N'Namdi Contemporary (Miami), ZhouB Art Center, One After 909 Gallery, Governors State University, Union Street Gallery, Espacino Imagen Alternativa - Mexico City, Mexico, and the Prudential Building to name a few.

Giving back to the community is paramount to Dean’s mission. He has served as a mentor and artist in residence for the Union League Boys & Girls Clubs initiative Know Peace ( formally Painting for Peace ). Cleveland has also served as a working artist on the Board of Directors for both the Chicago Artists Coalition and Graffiti Zone. 

"Art is an entity that gives a platform for one to express themselves. For me, it is a combination of, not only a certain skill set but also an undeniable emotion that permeates the work itself. Work, to me, should wear its emotion on its sleeve regardless of genre. It is the artist's duty to respect the work to give it life, not simply make a depiction. The artist creates an experience. To me, this is what art, what great art exercises. For me, this is how I view and critique art.

Click here to visit Cleveland Dean’s website.