Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
"Behind the Fold" documents the background, recent work and unique fabrication techniques of sculptor, Dan Droz, who, building on his earlier career as a designer and professor at Carnegie Mellon University, has created a national reputation for an innovative formal language.
Droz's work spans a variety of materials and forms that explore the limits of our perception. His work often suggests the question, "How'd you do that?" as many of his thematic threads were influenced by his teenage experience as a professional magician, where he was keenly aware of the two simultaneous realities... what viewers see and what is being intentionally concealed. Droz sees this as metaphor for sculpture where the process of creating a sculpture is often disconnected from the thematic or formal elements.
For example, Droz has invented a method of glass forming that allows glass to be folded and formed while in a kiln, without human intervention. He's also developed methods for forming large metal sheets into complex forms using a method of 'scoring' metal so it can be folded much like paper. Similarly, his methods of creating structural integrity to crocheted wire mesh and his complex cast glass and bronze sculptures, made from 3D printed originals, allows him to create forms that would otherwise be difficult with traditional fabrication and casting techniques.
"Behind The Fold" provides a window into Droz's magical world of form, fabrication methods and philosophies and will be of interest to other artists, collectors, curators, gallerists and art historians. Further, the body of work and thematic references exposes the limits of our understanding while expanding the possibilities for sculpture.