We Talk w/ artist Dan Lam: love at first sight

Drips, blogs and squishes… play, fun and experimentation, today we talk to one of the most internationally renowned contemporary artists: Dan Lam

Observing her work takes us to the organic universes of nature but also brings us closer to the psychedelia of our mind. A work that explores materiality through shapes and color, a work that radiates life. How not to love Dan Lam‘s work at first glance?

Dan Lam is one of the most acclaimed artists in the contemporary world today. Of Vietnamese origin living in Dallas, Texas, her sculptures are halfway between beauty and grotesque forms, reality always surpasses fiction and her inspiration comes from everything that is found in our world.

HIGHXTAR (H) – Who is Dan Lam?

DAN LAM (D) – I am an artist who gets to explore myself and the world through sculpture, installations, and other art forms.

(H) – Where does all the imagination of your artistic work come from? Your Drips, Blobs and Squishes!!?!!

(D) – I get a majority of my visual inspiration from nature. From the shapes of slime molds and fungi to how river walls have eroded over time – I don’t think it gets better than mother nature. Many of my forms are also informed by the materials I use and their capabilities. I love learning materials, the experimentation and play that happens, and pushing the boundaries of what they can do.

(H) – Your work takes us to a sometimes surreal world; it always makes us smile. Is the goal of your work?

(D) – Making people smile through my art is a great feeling. I love knowing that the joy I find from creating my work spreads to others enjoying it. Ultimately though, the goal of my work is to stir curiosity. I hope those initial questions of “What is it?” or “What is it made of?” leads to bigger questions.

(H) – Your day-to-day in the studio? What is your creative process like?

(D) – I’m in the studio pretty much every day. I keep a loose structure around my time, allowing for spontaneity, but my practice is usually what I want to be doing the most. I wake up around 10 am, work out, eat lunch, and head to the studio around 2 pm. I’ll take meetings or answer emails and then get to creating and stay until around 11 pm. Some days are highly productive, and some days are more reflective. I give myself the space for the full spectrum of the creative process.

(H) – Which of your projects is the most important for you so far?

(D) – I was invited to show at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, TX, in 2021. This is a museum that I went to a lot when I was in college so it felt like a significant accomplishment. I made an 8ft tall sculpture for it called Subtle Alchemy; that was the largest piece I had made in my studio at that point – another big accomplishment.

(H) – Your work can be seen all over the world! Do you have dreams to fulfill?

(D) – I want to do really big pieces, like something that sits on a building. Or a piece that is a whole building. I’m obsessed with playing with scale in my work and thinking about my work at this size makes the possibilities seem endless.

(H) – Have you ever been to Spain? Tell us how was the experience?

(D) – I went to Madrid and Toledo in 2019 and had a fantastic time. I was in London doing an installation, and Misterpiro, a friend, and fellow artist, was having a birthday celebration, so I decided to make a trip out of it. I saw some great art, saw friends, made new friends, and ate amazing food. It was so much fun, I can’t wait to go back.

(H) – What are your upcoming shows? Something in Spain?

(D) – I have a solo show in July at Chefas Projects in Portland, Oregon, and a solo in New York City in December at Hashimoto Contemporary. Hopefully, I’ll be doing something in Spain next year!