Philip Smiley's work is inspired by the conflicts of his rural American upbringing in the mountains of Virginia and his present urban setting. The result creates a third space where nature morphs into strange anatomical and embrionic visions. The narratives and sub-narratives are painstakingly woven through a web of obsessive detail, some suggesting the boredom and isolation of unpopulated physical and mental space, others creating perverse meetings of nature and human interaction. Through the creation of these ink 'islands' Smiley builds elaborate images of extraordinary detail and inner portent which seem to appeal and yet unsettle the viewer.

Smiley was born in Hawaii in 1976. He studied his MA in Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York. His clients have included Dazed and Confused, Comme Des Garcons, Burberry, and Stella Macartney. He currently lives in London.

Cabin Fever, sponsored by Kirin Ichiban, is at the Dazed Gallery, 112-116 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BG from July 18th. The opening night is on July 18th from 7pm to 9pm. Press enquiries to johnpaul@dazedgroup.com.