Dan Cole

My practice is characterised by two specific means of work production, where both consider the effect of capturing moments of stillness where time around the work is in ‘stasis’. This is manifested in sculpture and photography. Although the work is separate, they investigate similar themes in different ways. They also offer me opportunities to exhibit my thoughts, which surround capturing stationary moments, in spaces where my large and often unwieldy sculpture cannot.

With my sculptures, I am asking the audience to consider whether the material, usually in large cuboid forms, is falling or ascending and if the space it occupies is increasing or depleting around it. The work questions the material as a way of communicating these ideas. The anticipation of what could be or what has been is something the audience must experience and this overarching question spans all of the sculptures and leads on to the other side of my practice.

The process of mixing and pouring the concrete into my moulds is just as important as the final product. Each stage, from pouring to hanging, means I can oversee the nuances of the material completely. Discovering new techniques and simplifying the process to arrive at a finished work, leaving me in awe, is also a key driving force of my practice. Expanding my knowledge of the materials should be clear to the audience and I hope to instil a similar level of interest in them. The preconceptions surrounding the materials I use, such as concrete, steel and wire, often play an integral role in how the work functions. Mass and size are two of the most important aspects that I ask the space to engage with as both are qualities, we are familiar with. Distilling the basic elements of construction materials alongside the common forms they take is what pushes my work on. I have a fascination with architectural constituents such as concrete, steel and wire. Combining these materials can often seem alien to an audience, but they are surrounded by them every day.

Instagram: @107_109_114

website: www.107-109-114.com