Dreph | Upfest

Dreph

London based artist Neequaye Dreph was born in Nottingham in 1973 and raised in Windsor, England. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Illustration in 1997 and is today best known for his large-scale portrait paintings, oil portraits and letterforms.

Dreph’s work draws inspiration from 80′s British underground comics such as 2000 AD, considered lighting of old masters such as Caravaggio and the energy and scale of 70’s New York subway graffiti.

His paintings are arresting, and there is an ethereal beauty about his work. There is an honesty and depth of emotion that bring his subjects to life. Dreph is a versatile visual artist working successfully in a wide range of media. However it is his distinctive style, vibrant color palette and attention to detail that is the common thread throughout all of his work.

Dreph presents an alternative black British narrative. His murals are a tribute to living unsung heroes and heroines, a celebration of humanity, larger than life and in technicolor in our public spaces.

After 3 decades of street based work, Dreph is regarded as a stalwart of the scene and has painted in Africa, the UAE, Central and South America, Asia and throughout Europe.

Art work by Dreph