Dan Lane's works certainly have a contemporary, urban edge, but as an artist, he is hugely influenced by the Renaissance. He is inspired by the sculptures found in churches and cathedrals around the world, particularly the flamboyant styling of the Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the artist credited with creating the Baroque style of sculpture, and other Italian artistic geniuses Michelangelo and Antonio Canova.
Nature also influences Dan's art, with many pieces featuring flowers, insects, and birds. For his original 3D sculptures, Dan experiments with colours, finishes and textures. These include crushed glass, gold and silver leaf, marble, bronze, and glass diamonds.
Dan is a master of blending the dark and light in his pieces; his signature skulls are lifted by elegant elements such as butterflies and flowers, which give his works an ethereal look which accepts that life is a mix of romance and realism; dark and light.
A common motif in his work is the hummingbird. Dan explains: "I use these a lot in my work and see them as one of the most delicate and beautiful things in nature. Nature has never taken from us, yet we have exploited nature's generosity. For me, this hummingbird symbolises how fragile the natural world is; yet with some hard work, we can fix things."
Graffiti, too, is something which appears in his art; he once created graffiti pieces under the tag Mechanica, and his In the Empty Spaces collection was strongly influenced by the genre. Chosen to represent vibrancy and life, the colours are bold and unapologetic, as striking on the canvas as they would be if sprayed from a can onto a desolate city wall. Dan has manipulated the boundaries of 2D and 3D, using light and shadows to lift the graphic out of the darkness and into the external space.
His experience as an engineer allows him to construct concepts as physical creations. Constant research, development and experimentation with methods and materials, coupled with his ability to blend thematic elements, results in work that is simultaneously stylistically distinct and ever evolving.
Dan says: "I have developed a technique of casting marble that gives it the right feel while also retaining the natural cracks and imperfections that are impossible to reproduce by painting. This alludes to my concept of these sculptures as a modern relic, as it gives the pieces a sense of age."
"I have also developed a copper finish for my art. It’s a technique which mixes real, hand-applied copper leaf with paint-aging methods. The aging method can be taken to the extreme by using chemicals to produce a natural verdigris (a bluish-green patina). I love the warm tones of the copper, and it really helps the engraved or sculpted tattoos stand out from the sculpture."
Dan is truly a Renaissance man, producing paintings and sculpture which mix his classical influences with current pop culture. He can make works featuring the twin Greek gods Apollo and Artemis, but also produce pieces featuring iconic cartoon characters, or, naturally, his signature skull motif.
Whatever he makes, his pieces are always infused with social comment and the mix of darkness and light, which makes Dan Lane’s work utterly compelling. Says Dan: “My work acts as an invite into my intricate imagination; my dark yet beautiful world of nature against an industrial backdrop. I love the idea of having something beautiful like a butterfly or hummingbird try to find its place and break out of the mechanical worlds I create.”
Dan Lane brings us four more exciting, limited edition pieces as part of his Chaos & Order series; three stunning works created on glass and a showstopping sculpture, all melding the art of antiquity with meaningful contemporary elements.
Former engineer Dan Lane's works certainly have a contemporary, urban edge, but as an artist, he is hugely influenced by the Renaissance. He is inspired by the sculptures found in churches and cathedrals around the world, particularly the flamboyant styling of the Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the artist credited with creating the Baroque style of sculpture.
Nature also influences Dan's art, with many pieces featuring flowers, insects and birds. A common motif in his work is the hummingbird. Dan explains: "I use these a lot in my work and see them as one of the most delicate and beautiful things in nature. For me, the hummingbird symbolises how fragile the natural world is; yet with some hard work, we can fix things."
For his original 3D sculptures, Dan experiments with colours, finishes and textures. These include crushed glass, gold and silver leaf, marble, bronze and glass diamonds. His experience as an engineer allows him to construct concepts as physical creations. Constant research, development and experimentation with methods and materials, coupled with his ability to blend thematic elements, results in work that is simultaneously stylistically distinct and ever-evolving.
Dan Lane brings us yet more stunning, dark and thoughtful pieces, based on his signature skulls, mixed with elements designed to lift the viewer, and make them think twice. 'Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown' is a flatbed giclée on glass, available in a marble or silver leaf finish, either singly or as a set of two, which make an incredible impact. 'When All is Equal' is a bronze version of Dan's sold-out sculpture which was originally created in polished stainless steel. Its bronze incarnation offers a mellower, but no less stunning, take on Dan's view of his view on man's relationship with the natural world.
Artist Dan Lane brings an extraordinary new work for those who celebrate love in all its shades. ‘Look At Me, Tell Me You Love Me’ features a pair of skulls in the centre of a heart, surrounded by golden butterflies, all atop a marble base. The title of the limited edition sculpture is carved on top of the heart, echoing Dan’s desire to make his pieces exciting to view from all angles.
He has based it on one of his most popular limited edition prints ‘Look At Me, Tell Me You Love Me’, and reimagining it in three dimensions has made his concept even more emotionally involving. ‘Look at Me, Tell Me You Love Me’ is a bold and passionate piece which could make an extraordinary gift for someone equally extraordinary.
Dan Lane brings two stunning new limited editions from his In The Empty Spaces series to Castle Fine Art for the Autumn launch, with his usual insightful social commentary on life and current affairs, mixed with his love of graffiti. 'Use With Caution' features Dan’s signature metallic skull on a Dollar bill, as a reflection on the negative and positive impact money and power can have on society. It is the first limited edition work from the In The Empty Spaces series, following the demand for the extraordinary original pieces.
The second piece, 'Vanitas', again features Dan’s signature skull, this time featuring the subdued metallic hues which are his favoured palette, again combining the motifs of money and power with the random nature of graffiti.
His original portfolio is excitingly diverse: his subjects range from botanical scenes to skulls, butterflies, graffiti lettering and figurative works. Available in a range of sizes to suit any budget, these one-off creations are made by hand in his studio in Kent.
Dan's ornate wall sculptures often feature unexpected kaleidoscopes of colour and contrasting textures, including metal, marble and pearlised finishes. Twisting natural forms through mechanical intervention, the former engineer is inspired by the sculptures found in churches and cathedrals around the world, particularly the excessive Baroque styling of the Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Featuring the 'Ace of Hearts', 'Ace of Spades', 'Ace of Clubs' and 'Ace of Diamonds', these striking glass prints explore the historic meanings of playing cards. Themes of war, love, wealth and power are intertwined with Dan's signature orchids, skulls, hummingbirds and butterflies for a contemporary style statement.
Dan says: "All of the cards feature the words ‘Stay Lucky’. I use these words a lot when saying goodbye to people I meet face-to-face; a few people have even nicknamed me ‘Lucky Dan’! There’s a connection to being lucky in card games too, which I think is cool. Most people know what a standard deck of cards looks like, but there are actually thousands of different designs. I got to create my own versions with their own stories."
Dan Lane, whose graffiti-inspired collection, In The Empty Spaces, translates elements of this controversial subculture for a provocative release of two hand-signed limited edition prints. The London-based artist, who once created art under his own moniker of Mechanica, has defaced his signature skull with motifs from street art genres, including the interlocking letters and symbols of Wildstyle and the harmony of Abstract.
Alongside his research into colour theory, Dan was inspired by the street art he encountered on his daily walks and the transformative qualities they had on otherwise "empty spaces". He created a series of intricate designs and drawings before manipulating individual sheets of resin to form his sculptural form; heating, moulding, and cutting according only to his own aesthetic vision. Contrasting swathes of light and bright colour was then added in up to four coats each before mounting them to a glossy black board deliberately tinted by his spray paint and sealed with a smoky resin finish.
The series takes its name from the word meaning to come together and form something whole. Each of the limited edition artworks features metallic elements and a stunning glass finish. The razor-sharp detail was originally created by giclée-printing on the back of toughened glass before adding a chrome foil for an amazing highlight effect.
A small selection of original works is also still available. Dan experimented with crushed glass and cold casting with copper, bronze and aluminium to create sculptural works that were touched by his own hands at every point of the process.
Dan Lane poignant sculptures encapsulate his characteristic style in beautiful pieces. Often inspired by his original artworks, the artist brings them to live in 3D sculptures. His iconic pieces resemble some of the most classical works from Baroque and Renaissance masters whilst featuring the artist most popular symbols like hummingbirds.
Classic art meets modern culture for Dan Lane's Modern Relics series. Inspired by the works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Michelangelo, he has explored how we treat our bodies to create works which look like they could be hundreds of years old. Made from solid bronze, the sculptures feature an incredible patina on the skin surface. The aging process involved using chemicals to produce a natural Verdigris. The carved tattoos are raised and have a highly polished finish.
Dan says: “I decided to visit some of the original sculptures to see them in the flesh. Tattoos have become such a mainstream part of our bodies, and I couldn’t help but think that the artists wouldn’t have been able to resist using them in their own work. These sculptures are modern relics. It’s taken my art to another level.”
Art makes a wonderful wedding gift, and at Castle Fine Art, we have something for everyone, from modern to traditional and everything in between! And we have gift cards so they can make their own choice, so take a look at our curated selection.
Following his successful 2021 collection 'In The Empty Spaces', "the creative floodgates have opened" for Dan Lane who has now cultivated his graffiti style through an incredible exploration into Disney characters.
Dan Lane presents his brand new series, In The Empty Spaces. The collection questions the nuances associated with empty spaces; are they actually empty, or do they hold real substance...
Symbolising that mankind and nature can live in harmony, Dan's striking stainless steel hand sculpture fuses engineering and fine art. Find out more in our exclusive video for our 5 Questions With series.
Dating back to the 12th century, this genre is associated with the spookiest night of the year. But with our twisted collection of artworks, you can enjoy the dark side all year round.
Showcased at an exclusive pop-up gallery at the Old Truman Brewery in London in November 2019, the new Coalesce collection by Dan Lane encapsulates his past learnings and future direction.
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