image: Dyna Moe

Dyna Moe has become renowned for being the official illustrator for TV show Mad Men. Her style of work is bold and colourful but simple. Memorable scenes from the show are replicated in a cartoon-like style that focuses on one particular colour. The iconic outfits of the show are parodied in works such as her ‘Dress up Joan’ paper doll drawings, and each piece is a joy to view. These are simple images but have a superb attention to detail in things such as the patterns on clothing and the expressions on faces.

Moe is also a comedy writer and this shows in the works exhibited that are unrelated to Mad Men. This includes her ongoing series of Hipster Animals; illustrations such as ‘Early morning farmers’ market shopper’, ‘Regrettable one night stand’ and ‘Weed delivery guy’, which combine animals and human characteristics to parody the hipster movement. The results are stand alone characters in well recognised clothing and witty stereotypical poses. The use of animals instead of humans makes the characters she is creating even more ridiculous but also very eye catching.

Her love of British comedy panel shows is also epitomised in a series of homages to Stephen Fry and QI. In a style similar to pop art, Moe takes a common pose Fry may make in the show and repeats it about 12 times. Each image takes one of his many outfits (or costumes) worn in an episode, making each image unique, while still being part of the same image. Moe’s work throughout the exhibition is both engaging and interesting, and I would happily have any of it on my walls.

Alice Rafter