Brian Dawn Chalkley is a visual artist and storyteller who has been exploring gender, sexuality, and identity for over four decades. Known for their public performances under their alter ego “Dawn,” Chalkley was a prominent figure in London’s underground trans clubbing scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Through their work, they explore what is means to perform gender and form identity, constructing and deconstructing aspects of their own personality and persona.
Solo exhibitions include Angels Suffer Too, Kunstmuseum Luzern, Switzerland (2026); Living on the edge of failure, Lungley Gallery, London (2024); The analytic pictorial Space of poetic horror, Lungley Gallery, London (2022); The Untold Depth of Savagery, LUNGLEY Gallery, London (2020); Missing, Lungley Gallery, London (2018); The Alterity and Identity of Trans Imaginess, Arthelix gallery, New York, US (2017); Brian Dawn, Outpost Gallery, Norwich, UK (2015); Dawn in Wonderland, Horst Schuler Galerie, Dusseldorf, Germany (2013); Painting in High Heels, Hackney Forge, London (2006).
Group exhibitions include Kuu Maa, Margot Samel, New York (2025); Being There, Curated by Ingrid Swenson MBE. No. 1 Royal Crescent, Bath, UK (2025); TALES FROM THE COLONY ROOM: ART AND BOHEMIA, Dellasposa, London, UK (2020); Unsheltered as it is, D Contemporary, London, UK (2020); Taipei residency at Taipei University, supported by UAL, Taipei, Taiwan (2017); The Shape we are in (curated by Paul Carey Kent) London, UK (2015); Deptford X (curated by Janette Parris), London, UK (2015); (BOYS KEEP SWINGING) curated by Frank Lamy, Mac Val Musee d’ art, Paris, France (2015); Art Koln, Ancient and Modern, Germany (2013); Drawing Biennial, Drawing Room, London (2013); Works on Paper, Galerie Gregor Staiger, Zurich, Switzerland (2013); Brian Dawn Chalkley, Ancient and Modern, London (2012); Brian Dawn Chalkley, Horst Schuler Galerie, Dusseldorf, Germany (2011); Der Menschen Klee, Kunst im Tunnel Dusseldorf, Germany (2011); Nothing is Forever, South London Gallery, London (2010).