12 months in the making, Daniel R. Watkins new body of work ‘They used to call me Rad Dan’ is based on fiction false idols.
Idol being branded, feeling, location, person, idea.
“An idol in representing a moment, reason or thought that you implement for selfless prosperity.
Respect.
The world is saturated with false idols that are led by marketing tycoons, only to gain respect in hope of the mighty dollar.
Therefore changing the word respect, to a word that now associates with followings,
sales, revenue, popularity, stocks, status, inflation - the list goes on.
The young and uneducated have been attenuated by false idols.
They are good for a laugh but no good for respect.”
Watkins has collaborated with photographers Max Doyle and Banjo Mclachlan in this series, to add a non-linear photographic foundation.
The mediums used include; screen printing, acrylic, crayon, pencil, plywood, water colour & permanent markers.
All to create the effect of a used street poster.
Born 1987 and raised with a surrealist painter father, Watkins is a practicing art director and graphic designer, and now “never be to proud to learn something new and start at the bottom” an apprentice carpenter.
Watkins strong fascination with nostalgic Australian culture and paraphernalia, has led him around the country.
One notably excursion was a live art installation he created in the Australia Outback, called ‘Magic Mungo’ shot by Jedd Cooney.
"Hyperactive? I wouldn’t label myself as hyperactive. I'm just someone who is intrigued with fast paced information. I adopt this with my enjoyment in using mixed media. It could be just be another form of ADD."