Our perception and experience of a city is grounded in both its physicality and the interventions into its structure. This has been a consistent point of research and interest for Neil Dunne’s practice. As a body of work, Terrain Vague proudly embraces the myriad forms of human expression and reflects on the often discordant relationships forged within these spaces.

Terrain Vague specifically charts Dunne’s exploration of voids that have opened up in our urban spaces. Using these 'non spaces' as an entry point in deciphering the landscape, Dunne deconstructs and expands upon preliminary drawings and referential photography in his studio. He engages with motifs of found flora, fauna and the topography of the city, exploring and probing the divisive ways in which our landscapes are broken, reformed and reimagined. Dunne’s inherent interest in discarded items and human intervention within the landscape have played a crucial role in the formation and development of this collection.

The process of engaging with these voids yields a rich variety of expressive results, culminating in an impactful and provoking series which collectively embody a sense of stillness. This body of work is the most recent series of urban visual exploration from Dunne, with many of the ideas forming and taking shape while on a research residency in Lisbon in 2022. This series of paintings and drawings were created in Dunne’s Dublin studio between 2022 - 2023.