Dan Lane
Ace High | 2021

For the original 3D sculptures, Dan experimented with colours, finishes and textures. These included crushed glass, gold and silver leaf, and glass diamonds. The multi-dimensional effect has been recreated for the 2D limited edition artworks via the fine art giclée printing process, which has captured the metallic elements and complex forms of his original pieces.

Derived from the French term gicler - meaning ‘to squirt or spray’ - the term describes a printing process whereby microscopic dots of pigment-based ink are sprayed onto the chosen medium. The richness, accuracy and depth of colour is thanks to the method’s potential to achieve a huge colour gamut (the spectrum of colours distinguishable by the human eye). Unlike the four tones used in lithography, giclées often use six: light cyan, cyan, light magenta, yellow and black.

Playing cards in art

From the literary classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to DC Comics' Joker and Hollywood films like Casino Royale, the playing card motif has long been a part of popular culture. Other artists to explore the subject include the French Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne, who created a series of five of oil paintings - titled The Card Players - in the early 1890s. In 2012, the A Portfolio for the Hip (Pocket) exhibition in London saw contemporary artists including David Hockney, Damien Hirst, Mat Collishaw, Patrick Heron and Anish Kapoor design their own playing cards.