Friday Focus: Daniel Davies
Daniel Davies was born in Blackpool, UK in 1992. He studied Fine Art at Northumbria University, Newcastle graduating in 2015. Davies currently lives and works in London and is studying at The Royal Academy Schools.
Solo exhibitions include First Kiss, Sunday-s, Copenhagen; Cloud Illusions, Galleria Acappella, Naples; Daniel Davies, Rod Barton, London, UK. Group Exhibitions include Touché, Eclat, Workplace, Gateshead, UK. We are the ones, Carlsberg Byens Galerie, Copenhagen, DK, You were high when I was doomed, IMT, London, UK, Group Show, Sunday-s, Copenhagen, DK, From The Rocks Above The Pass, Milk Collective, The House Of Blah Blah, Middlesborough, UK, I am a Golden God, Fiebach Minninger, Cologne, (Curated by Henning Strassburger), ‘80 Years’, Limoncello, London, UK, ‘Unpainting / \ Resurfacing’, UH Galleries, Hatfield, UK
Can you tell me about your practice? How do you get started on a piece of work?
I usually start work by thinking a lot, over thinking most of the time. I often realise works in my mind and so that tends to stop me from making anything immediately. It’s quite a slow process for me, which is quite funny because work generally doesn’t take long to make.
Who or what are your biggest influences?
David Hockney, Francis Stark, Patrick Caulfield, Andy Warhol. My peers at school. Claire my partner. The list is endless.
In earlier work, Memory and history have played a consistent role within your practice, but your new work suggests a slight departure from these central themes, can you talk further about how your work is evolving?
Personal history and memory are still key themes that run through the practice. Like the domestic spaces created come from the surroundings that I've lived in or have experience of from childhood to present. But they have been made to be more generalised so that they could be owned by anyone. Much like most images of things we see; they're no longer mine, they belong to anyone. Patterns and textures often refer back to clothing or textiles that relate to people I know or places I have been.
With the newer work, I was in a mental block for some time, so they are kind of looking at what it means to make an art object and the anxieties around that. The false presentation or expectations one has when making art. They're also looking at the process of mourning something but not knowing what that is.
How important is the choice of material in relation to realizing the concept of your work?
I use materials that are economical and/ or accessible. Making art is so expensive, so it needs to be on the cheaper side to sustain the practice. Material choice is also particular to a time and place throughout my history. Often a technique or something made with someone from my youth.
What is your most important tool? Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?
The chair. Provides much needed, ongoing support every day.
Can you give us a book recommendation that has been important in your practice? And tell us why it’s important.
Art as Art by Ad Reinhardt, In the Dark Room by Brian Dillon and The Artificial Kingdom by Celeste Olalquiaga.
They’re all important because they’ve informed the thinking around new work.
Finally, is there anything new coming up that you would like to tell us about?
Some ongoing conversations here and there. But in all honesty, I’m not really focused on output right now. Mostly concentrating on being at the schools and living in that bubble for a little while longer. I feel safe.
Image Details
Final Image features a sculpture by Oliver Tirre