Dominic McElwee

Image Size: 200 x 250 mm

Dominic McElwee is a contemporary New Zealand artist based in Palermo, Italy, specialising in refined realist paintings on metal in miniature scale. His work draws influence from European art of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with McElwee favouring narrative figure compositions that incorporate subtle social commentary. Through this approach, he engages with art-historical tropes, revisiting iconic imagery and themes while infusing them with a critical, contemporary perspective.

McElwee’s meticulous technique is defined by his exceptional command over light, colour, and material, which plays a central role in the emotional depth of his work. Working within small and miniature scales, he creates compositions with an intense tactile quality, where light interacts with the smooth, reflective surface of copper. This subtle manipulation of surface and light gives his pieces an immersive, almost sculptural presence, where the interplay of form and emotion is deeply intertwined. Each brushstroke is executed with precision, allowing McElwee to invite viewers into a direct, visceral engagement with both the visual composition and its underlying narrative.

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