Ian Daniell
“I make the work to highlight the fragility of our ocean ecosystems, and the urgent need for both protection and ingenuity in their conservation.”
Ian Daniell is a visual artist whose practice explores the power and vulnerability of marine life through large-scale, highly resolved paintings. Born in Sunderland and trained at Chelsea and Camberwell Colleges of Art, he began his career within London’s vibrant art scene, gaining early recognition through solo exhibitions and appearances in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. A transformative journey to Western Australia in 2018, marked by close encounters with whale sharks, manta rays, and orca, deepened his connection to the ocean and catalysed a shift in both focus and location. He now lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia.
Working with bold colour and scientific precision, Daniell’s paintings immerse viewers in the scale, beauty, and complexity of marine species. His recent works highlight both the majesty and fragility of ocean ecosystems, balancing advocacy with aesthetic intensity. In 2022, his work Krill, a life-size depiction of a swarming krill cloud, was acquired by the WA Museum Boola Bardip and now hangs alongside the museum’s iconic blue whale skeleton, Otto.
Daniell has exhibited widely, with solo shows including OCEAN and SWIM at Kamilé Gallery in Perth, and group exhibitions such as the Bunbury Biennale and Walyalup Waters at PS Art Space. His earlier career in the UK also included project management and fabrication roles for major artists and institutions, including Sir Anish Kapoor and the British Museum. This background informs the precision and scale of his current studio and public art practice, where each work is both technically ambitious and environmentally resonant.
