Joseph Dilnot (b. 1997) is a self taught artist who lives and works in East Sussex. In 2019 he received the Newman Young Artist and RosePaul Scholarships to study at The Essential School of Painting, London. He has exhibited in galleries and institutions including Hastings Contemporary, Gylndebourne, East Sussex and Lido Stores, Margate.
Growing up between the English Channel and the South Downs National Park, Dilnot draws inspiration from the natural world. His images often feature a sense of journeying: “Figures walk in and out of the landscape, they are exiles, hermits, adventurers, ghosts.” Small scale, lyrical paintings and works on paper are inspired by personal mythology, historical research and literature. Within his painted scenes, ordinary objects like ladders, candles, abandoned shoes and hats seem to possess magical qualities with the potential to enable a transformative experience. The images offers the anticipation of an event or the quiet absence of an aftermath.