Dan Lane
Two stunning new pieces | Autumn 2022

Featured art: 'Use With Caution' by Dan Lane, flatbed giclee on glass, £995.

Inspired by graffiti

Dan’s signature style favours a palette of gunmetal grey and subdued, natural hues, but some of his recent works are unashamedly packing a punch with their vibrant, bright colours. Much of this new direction can be attributed to Dan’s personal experiences during the Covid-19 lockdown, when he knew he needed to create pieces that radiated life. He was also heavily influenced by the street art he discovered during his daily walks, particularly the ones down the Leake Street tunnel underneath London's Waterloo Station, famous for its ever-changing graffiti art.

Explaining this new influence on Use With Caution and Vanitas, Dan says: “The build-up of layers of graffiti struck me. Some artists will do a whole mural, but then you also notice everyone’s put their little tag on there or something, and you get that accumulation of slightly different styles. When you take the time to look, you realise they look cool because it’s not contrived - the second or third artists put their take on it without really taking into consideration the original creator’s colours or designs; they just do their own thing. The end result is walls that look cool because they’re so random."

The colour palettes may be different, but the inspiration of skulls and money as Dan's subjects continues to fascinate him. "The Dollar has been such a powerful symbol over the decades and many artists have featured it in their work. Recent events have only heightened the significance and power of it. The title 'Use With Caution' was my way of suggesting that money can be a force of harm and corruption around the world."