At 30, Michaela Yearwood-Dan has joined the ranks of Hauser & Wirth, one of the world’s leading art galleries, a rare achievement for someone so young. Known for her vibrant, abstract paintings, Yearwood-Dan’s works, which often explore her British-Caribbean roots, have garnered a significant following. Her pieces frequently incorporate bold colors, phrases, and floral motifs, sometimes adorned with crystals and gold leaf.
Although now represented by Hauser & Wirth, she will continue her partnership with Marianne Boesky Gallery, which has showcased her since 2021. Yearwood-Dan had her first solo exhibition at London’s Tiwani Contemporary in 2019, before her rapid rise in the international art scene. Her abstract paintings, often layered with text and rich with personal and cultural themes, have been described as challenging the commodification of the Black figure in art.
Her market value has surged, with one of her pieces fetching £878,300 at a Christie’s auction in 2023, far exceeding estimates. In October 2024, Yearwood-Dan will become Hauser & Wirth’s artist in residence at their Somerset location, with a solo show at their London gallery planned for 2025.
Born in London in 1994, Yearwood-Dan’s artistic journey began after a shift from drama and music to visual arts. She graduated from the University of Brighton in 2016 and has since participated in exhibitions across the UK. Her work blends abstract imagery with diaristic elements, often drawing from poetry, music, and personal reflections. This emotional depth is particularly evident in her exploration of identity, femininity, and Blackness, which she frames in a deeply personal context rather than purely political terms
Her practice expanded during the 2020 lockdowns when she began incorporating clay sculptures into her exhibitions. These small-scale works complement her larger paintings, as seen in her mural Let Me Hold You (2022), presented at Queercircle in London. As Manuela Wirth, co-president of Hauser & Wirth, remarked, Yearwood-Dan is reshaping the role of abstraction, making it accessible to a broader audience while fostering community and inclusivity.
In an art world often obsessed with the traumatic narratives of marginalized identities, Yearwood-Dan’s work is a meditation on love, healing, and personal experience, marking her as one of the most exciting talents of her generation.
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