F O R E W O R D
‘What’s in a name?’
Quite a lot, it would appear. One of literature’s most famous rhetorical questions, scripted by Shakespeare for Juliet during her famously plaintive and soul-searching soliloquy, finds itself contextually pivotal in Dan Lane’s latest offering, Coalesce . Without a Montague or Capulet in sight, we need look no further than this collection’s name – and those of its predecessors – to take stock of Dan’s formidable journey and artistic growth. His debut solo exhibition, Every Piece of Me , began his distinct titular odyssey, denoting an artist laid bare, giving everything of himself. In naming his subsequent collection Unchained, we infer that Dan had cast off self-imposed restrictions and found a freer expression within his practice. Thus dawned an age of Dan creating under his own name rather than that of Mechanica, another portent that this was an artist on the cusp of evolution. Coalesce is the latest juncture in this pilgrimage, and – far from distancing himself from the artist he was – is an amalgamation, as the name suggests, of every facet of Dan’s journey to date. This body of work harnesses the omnipresent nod to classical sculpture within a blend of established technique and new textures, to give the ‘still life originals’ presented as modern relics for which Dan has earned great renown. His success in establishing such a distinctive signature style and strong aesthetic allows Dan the freedom to experiment with new ideas and concepts while his work remains immediately identifiable. Inarguably, he has much for which to thank his engineering background. Albeit he felt at the time he was ‘designing the way of making something, rather than making something’, it gave him the skill set to invent the method of producing what you want as the end result. It is one thing as an artist to be capable of visualising what you want to create, it is quite another to have the acumen to realise the idea into reality. That is Dan’s gift; he is a unique blend of vision and pragmatism, both the architect and builder of each piece.
As the name suggests, Coalesce is a fusion of many component parts, and attests to Dan’s relentless research and idea development, presenting collectors with many firsts from the artist. Notably, this is the very first time that he has used background images rather than allowing his sculptures to float unfettered against high shine mounts. It is interesting that he should do so now in two cityscape originals, almost as though he wanted to spotlight the anchoring effect of urban life in stark contrast to the more ethereal qualities in some of his more classically styled pieces. We also see a greater focus on texture within this collection, including the introduction of crushed glass applied as a solid layer to add to the lustre of the overall composition. Again, the engineer steered the hand of the artist here, and Dan spent as much time developing a method of application designed to minimise any long-term wear and tear as he did with an eye to the aesthetic. Time and experience since first winning acclaim at Castle Fine Art’s summer exhibition in 2014 have enabled Dan to gain greater trust in his own process and give himself over to it without hesitancy or fear of error. Unlike artists who might produce studies or sketches before they progress to the canvas, Dan’s only reference material is in his mind’s eye. Undoubtedly it is a gamble, there is minimal margin for error because overpainting simply isn’t an option for him, but it is one that continues to pay off. Although, Dan admits ‘it’s only towards the end once it’s mounted and framed, I’ve added the final elements and I see it on the wall do I really know for sure.’. One thing is, however, for sure; Coalesce is a worthy addition to an already accomplished repertoire, and attests to the skill of Dan Lane both as an artist, and as an individual to never cease to see the beauty in what he does. ‘I’m very lucky to do what I do, it’s a privilege. I have yet to walk into a space exhibiting my work without feeling somewhat overwhelmed, and the day it doesn’t bring a tear to my eye will be the beginning of the end.’.
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