Darren Doye grew up in Bendigo, Victoria. Influenced by Americans Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Robert Motherwell, as well as Australian greats Arthur Boyd and Sidney Nolan, Darren took up painting after a childhood love of drawing. He studied Fine Art at Ballarat University and some years later completed a Diploma of Education. His work is represented in private collections both in Australia and Europe.
The most recent series of Darren’s paintings combine woodcut prints and traditional oil painting techniques. Woodcuts are the earliest known form of Printmaking. It is a time consuming process where an image is carved into a wooden plate in reverse, to ensure the image is correctly orientated after printing. Most of the paintings are crafted on canvas, another traditional methodology. Darren then manipulates the paint surface using palette knives and brushes to create a variety of textures and points of interest for the viewer.
Darren has a keen interest in the Australian landscape and way of life. Through combining well known Melbourne icons such as the Nylex clock and the Skipping Girl Vinegar neon sign Darren invites the viewer on a journey of recognisable Melbourne landmarks. He encourages the viewer to read and personalise the narrative, playing on our connection to places and spaces evoking feelings of nostalgia.
Darren often places the urban landmarks within rural landscapes, which pays homage to the Artist's country roots. The inclusion of grass-covered paddocks also alludes to the impact of the continuing urban sprawl upon the surrounding countryside and rural communities.
Intermodal by Darren Doye (September 2015 Solo Exhibition)
In the 1950’s, intermodal shipping containers became the international standard for moving goods from destination to destination without having to unload and reload the freight across different modes of transport. In subsequent years, these versatile steel boxes have been repurposed and reinterpreted, and the modern human uses them for anything from storage solutions to retail shopping spaces. Some contemporary architects have even turned them into avante-garde dwellings. This evolution of the shipping container has changed the relationship society has with them. What was once a means to move a product efficiently from A to B, has now become the space in which to house not only our nearest and dearest physical possessions, but our nearest and dearest family members.
This evolution has been the starting point for Darren Doye’s artwork on display in his latest exhibition at Manyung Gallery in Malvern. He has accurately portrayed animals used for transporting goods in the past such as Donkeys, Camels and Elephants and morphed them with shipping containers. The transformed animals, complete with logistical adverts on the sides of their boxes, stand isolated in front of brightly coloured backgrounds as if lit dramatically by a bright spotlight. He takes the concept further to include other animals like Zebra’s, Giraffes and Rhino’s creating a light-hearted metaphor for globalization and the migratory lifestyle of the modern world.
These pieces, along with Darren’s famous iconic walls and cow paintings, are a depiction of a simpler life where the journey was often as important as the destination. As modern society becomes more obsessed with productivity gains, one has to ask are we missing out on something along the way?
Exhibitions:
2024 Summer Art Soirée, Manyung Gallery Sorrento
2023 Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, Manyung Gallery
2023 Sorrento Urban Art Soirée, Manyung Gallery Sorrento
2021 ‘Inside Out’, Manyung Gallery Malvern
2021 Summer Art Soirée Manyung Gallery Sorrento
2020 Summer Fun @ Sorrento Manyung Gallery Sorrento
2019 Champagne & Mistletoe VIP Christmas Exhibition, Manyung Gallery Mt Eliza
2018 Red Hill Gallery, Brisbane, Cats Exhibition
2018 150 Collins Street POP-UP Exhibition
2018 Manyung Gallery Malvern ‘Outback to Hinterland’
2018 ‘On the Map Event’, Manyung
2018 Manyung Gallery Malvern, Reflections of Summer
2017 Manyung Gallery Malvern, End of Year Exhibition
2016 Manyung Gallery Malvern, End of Year Group Show
2016 Manyung Gallery Malvern, Metropolis
2015 Manyung Gallery Mt Eliza, Inner Urban and Iconic exhibition
2014 Manyung Gallery Mount Eliza Coastal with a Twist
2014 Manyung Mt Eliza, Urban Show
2014 Affordable Art Fair Singapore
2013 Manyung Christmas Exhibition
2013 Manyung at Glenferrie, ‘Small works Big Ideas’ 6 December - 21 December
2013 Manyung at Mount Eliza ‘City and the Coast’
2013 Manyung at Mount Eliza ’Urban Show’
2013 Manyung ‘Melbourne Reflections’
2012 Manyung Christmas Exhibition
2012 Manyung at Glenferrie, Malvern
2011 Manyung at Mount Eliza, Mt Eliza
2011 Manyung at Glenferrie, Malvern
2011 Art Melbourne 2011, Exhibition Buildings
2011 Red Hill Art Show
2011 Canterbury Art Show
2010 Manyung at Mount Eliza, Mt Eliza
2010 Pivotal Galleries, Richmond
2010 Red Hill Art Show
2010 Canterbury Art Show
2009 Art Red Hill (Winner, sellout)
2009 Canterbury Art ’09 (Winner small works, sellout)
2009 Ripper Art, Ripponlea
2009 Small Works, Gallery 775 Red Hill
2009 Shine On, Pivotal Gallery, Richmond (sellout)
2008 Art Melbourne 2008, Exhibition Buildings
2008 Red Hill Art Show, (Sellout)
2008 Mt Eliza Primary School Art Show
2007 Melbourne Affordable Art Show 2007, Exhibition Buildings
2006 Basically Black and White group Exhibition, Port Art Gallery
2006 Melbourne Affordable Art Show 2006, (Sell out) Exhibition Buildings
2006 Transformations Group Exhibition, (Sell out) Port Art Gallery
2006 Origins Group Exhibition Port Art Gallery
2006 Touch of Red, (finalist) Blacksphere Gallery
2006 Christmas Salon, (Sell out) Port Art Gallery
2006 Art at Burnley, (Contemporary Art Society), (Sell out)
2005 Tsunami Art Auction, Port Art Gallery
2005 Homage group Exhibition, Port Art Gallery
1999 Three Perspectives, Charles Smith Gallery
1998 Ballarat Winter Festival, Group Exhibition
1997 Ballarat Winter Festival, Group Exhibition
1996 Ned Kelly Group Exhibition (Ballarat)
1995 Mis-fitted Ballarat Group Exhibition
1995 Utopia Ballarat Group Exhibition
1995 UNIque Advent Group Exhibition
1994 Ballarat University Flinders Ranges Exhibition
1994 Melbourne University No Fees For Degrees Exhibition
1993 Ballarat University Flinders Ranges Exhibition
1991 Eaglehawk Rotary Art Show
1991 Recycled Garbage Truck Exhibition, (highly commended)
Solo Exhibitions, Melbourne:
2023 'Arrival', Manyung Gallery Malvern
2019 Sentimental Journey, Manyung Gallery Malvern
2018 Redefining Urban Manyung Gallery Malvern
2017 Darren Doye on Show Manyung Gallery Malvern
2016 Metropolis Manyung Gallery Malvern
2015 INTERMODAL by Darren Doye Manyung Gallery Malvern
2012 Manyung at Glenferrie
2010 Pivotal Galleries, Richmond, (February)
2010 Gallery 775, Red Hill, (April)
2010 Feature Artist, Art Canterbury, (May) (sellout)
2009 Recent walls, Port Art Gallery, (October)
2008 Urban Sprawl, Port Art Gallery, (July)
2007 Urban Paddocks, Kingston Arts Centre, (March – April)
2007 Suburban Paddocks, Port Art Gallery, (July)
2003 Moments of Change, Corporate Health Club, Sofitel Hotel
2003 Recent Work, Charles Smith Gallery, (May – June)
2002 Over the Sea and Far Away, Charles Smith Gallery,(March – April)
1998 Ned Kelly, Acland St Theatre
1998 Charles Smith Gallery, (April - May)
1998 Burke and Wills, Charles Smith Gallery, (Sept - Oct)
Awards/Accolades:
2010 Feature Artist, Art Canterbury
2009 Art Red Hill (Winner)
2009 Canterbury Art ’09 (Winner small works)
2009 Agendo Art Prize (Finalist)
2008 Corangamarah Art Prize, Colac, (Finalist)
2008 Signature of M Art Prize, (Finalist)
2006 He who belongs, (Winner) Walker Street Gallery