My art practice began in 1996 when I was working for a non-profit organization in Camden NJ. The photographic medium became a means of documenting the deterioration of the inner city and the societal struggles of economic, and systematic discrimination within one of the world’s richest and influential economies.
The experience in Camden still influences my art practice today. From early on my work has looked at societal values, as expressed through symptoms and patterns of individuals. More specifically, storage and issues surrounding storage are important aspects of my work. There are noticeable parallels between storage and the photograph. The photograph documents – perhaps “stores” the valuable, memorable, or hidden. By using the photographic medium, there then becomes an added layer to my work surrounding storage.
In early projects including the series, ”Healing”, I approached the governmental philosophy of treating mental disabilities, by photographing the deterioration of the large facilities used to “store” and manage people with mental disabilities. In 2007, the series “Storage” uses typographical photographs of storage facility doors to question our need for storage, what we store, and draw attention to structures and systems of storage that are becoming more visible in our city as our need for storage increases. By bringing attention to individual subject matter, I’m interested in what the repetition and subtle distinctions communicate about the values and patterns found in society. What do we value and consider important?
More recent works address issues of privacy, personal storage and property, considering the home as a vehicle for storage and a container for “storing” things that to us are most important. In my most recent work, “Plot” I examine the ways in which we delineate our property through the subtle use of landscape. How far do we push the lawnmower? How far do we rake the leaves? Regardless of the condition of our relationship with those around us, we always draw lines to how far we will go. In the series, “Camp” I investigate the characteristics of efficiency in storage by photographing cabins located at a summer camp. Similarity and consistency are trademarks of efficiency that are portrayed in this series, that when installed in a 4x2 vertical grid, also reinforce the use of stacking in storage. The grid also creates the illusion of larger space, which is contradictory to the ideals of efficiency in storage.
Daniel graduated from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in May 2007. His works have been exhibited in several shows including “Pictures From and Institution” 2006 and “After The Fact” 2007 as well as "Vancouver Altered" 2009. Daniel’s works have been sold to numerous private collectors both locally and nationally. Daniel currently resides and practices in Vancouver, BC.
