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David W. Van Ness

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David W. Van Ness - Stacking Cows
Artsy Page​

​ARTIST STATEMENT
I spent several years working on the idea that soon all matter would be malleable, and humankind would be in charge of the design and function of everything, including all forms of life. I originally drew inspiration from Jack Womack’s Elvissey, in which mothers applied chemicals and radiation to create sculptures they would “birth.”  Eventually, I began to experiment with digital design and fabrication, and I began manipulating 3D models on the code level. I saw this code as the “DNA” of my sculptures and the computer as a collaborator, rather than a tool that I used to design my art. I used a glitch art technique to alter the 3D model by adding and deleting parts of the file. I’ve refined this process and can now manipulate these 3D models fairly accurately and intentionally—I began to develop a workflow that allowed me to manipulate the 3D models with known datasets and encode concept into the file of the 3D model. My modernist training made it difficult for me to understand what the actual art form was. I continually debated if the 3D model, the data used to create the 3D model or the actual 3D print was my actual art. I began trying to connect the data I was using directly to the concept of the art, like the hate crime data in the Robert E. Lee sculpture.  
At this point, I was also re-examining the subject of my work. Though animals and myth were the basis of my work, I had always felt that those pieces were dealing with my critical examination of culture and the world as I saw it. I increasingly saw my work more as extended forms of self-portraiture. That being so, I needed to connect the concepts of the work more directly related to me without the pretext of an imagined futuristic world.
I pursued this change of idea in two ways. First, I examined the material I had been using. I hadn’t considered it much and saw the plastic filament as merely a means to an end, but I knew the full potential of digital fabrication from my participation with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and other such groups. I wanted to see if there was a way to work in a more relatable material, and therefore for the past year, I have been working on the way to biological 3D print my “self-portrait.” This portrait will be 3D printed in a bio-supportive material by Dimensions Inx, and then stem cells will be grown on the two-inch sculptures that will be converted into human bone when complete. I created the design of this portrait by combining non-visual data like my DNA, social media, and biometric data into a 3D model.
The second way I am re-examining my work is by pulling back from my obsession with animal forms and looking at myself and my interest in symbolism and myth as a means to examine our culture. I grew up in an upper-middle-class suburb of Dallas. I constructed my childhood worldview through a series of stories and myths that I invented. Many of these myths and symbols came from my love of history, fantasy, and science. From these childhood stories I have chosen to concentrate on the Western-influenced ideas that illustrate a more global inclusive world view


EDUCATION
Cranbrook Academy of Art
MFA Sculpture
2001 - 2003 ​

Maryland Institute College of Art
BFA Sculpture;
1997 - 2001

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
CURRENT
 
Northern Arizona University, Lecturer in Sculpture/Foundations
PAST
University of North Texas 2008 - 2011, Adjunct Instructor
Tarrant County Community College 2006 - 2011, Adjunct Instructor
Dallas County Community College 2005 - 2008​, Adjunct Instructor
University of Texas at Dallas 2005 - 2008​, Adjunct Instructor
University of Texas at Arlington 2005 - 2006, Adjunct Instructor
Collin County Community College 2005 - 2005, Adjunct Instructor

SELECTED EXHIBITS

Solo, 2 person shows
2019
“Untitled 2 person show”, Plano Art Center, Plano, TX.

2018
"Manipulated Mythologies", Ro2 Gallery, Dallas, TX (continued through 2019)
“Printed Nature”, Brazos Gallery, Dallas, TX.

2009
"Animorphs", Mary Tomas Gallery, Dallas, TX.

2008
“A Grand Matter”, ALLRiSE Gallery, Chicago, IL.

2006
The Stacking Cow”, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX.

Selected Group Shows:
2019
“The Wrong Biennale” www.thewrong.org and selected embassies around the world.

2018
“Speculative Object”, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
“Speculative Object”, William Paterson University, Wayne Township, NJ.

2017
“Glitch Art is Dead”, Gamut Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
“3D Glitch”, Filodrammatica Gallery, Rijek, Croatia (2017).
“Speculative Object”, 2017 International Sculpture Conference, Kansas City, MO.

2016
“Intersculpture”, International Mathematics Olympiad invited by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
“Intersculpture 2016: Modèles Numèriques Dans L’Art Et La Nature” Hôtel des Sociétés, Verdun, France.
"Virtually Solid: Digital Fabrication as Sculpture", Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, FL.
"Mind 2 Machine 2 Material: Digital Technology and Sculpture Today", Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ. helped curate only showing one piece in "curator corner"
"NAU School of Art Faculty Show", Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ.
“Digital Culture”, Czong Institute of Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
"3D Glitch" Traveling Show: University of Sunderland, Sunderland, England (2016) New York Place, Manchester, England (2016)

2015
“3D Printing and the Arts' What Things May Come'”, Brown Symposium, Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX.
” NAU School of Art Faculty Show”, Northern Arizona University Museum, Flagstaff, AZ.
3D Printing Exhibition, Museum of Science and Industry, Tampa, FL.
"3D Print Design Expo", Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA.
"Distilled in the Desert", Arizona State University Grant Street Studios, Phoenix, AZ.

2014
“Ob*jet*ti*fied”, Ro2Gallery, Dallas, TX.
“COLLISON 20”, Boston Cyberarts Gallery, Boston, MA.
”3D Printshow”, Metropolitan Pavilion, New York, NY. International Juried Show
”Northern Arizona University Faculty Show”, Phoenix College, Phoenix, AZ.
”NAU School of Art Faculty Show”, Northern Arizona University Museum, Flagstaff, AZ.
” The 3D Print”, Long Beach Institute for the Arts and Sciences, Love Ladies, NJ. 2nd Place National Juried Show
”RAPID 2014”, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Dearborn, MI.
"Materialize", Shemer Art Center, Phoenix, AZ.
"Materialize", Wright State University, Dayton, OH.(Different show with same name)
"The MAC @20", The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
"The Art Prize", Sin Republic, Grand Rapids, MI.

2013
" RAPID 2013", Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Pittsburgh, PA.
"3D Printshow", The Business Design Centre, London, England.International Juried Show
”NAU School of Art Faculty Show”, Northern Arizona University Museum, Flagstaff, AZ.
"SculptCAD Rapid Artists", One Arts Plaza, Dallas, TX.
"Chaos Small Works", Ro2 Gallery, Dallas, TX.
"Gallery Artists", GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM.
"Gallery Artists", Visions West Gallery, Denver, CO and Bozeman, MT.

2012
"Gallery Artists", GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM.
"Gallery Artists", Visions West Gallery, Denver, CO and Bozeman, MT.
”NAU School of Art Faculty Show”, Northern Arizona University Museum, Flagstaff, AZ.
"RAPID 2012", Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Atlanta, GA.
"3D Printshow", The Brewery, London, England. International Invitational Show

2011
"Euclid House", Ro2 Gallery, Dallas, TX.
"SculptCAD Rapid Artists", Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN.
"Major Donors Party", McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
"Gallery Artists", GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM.
"Gallery Artists", Visions West Gallery, Denver, CO and Bozeman, MT.
"Sex Twist", Kirk Hopper Fine Art, Dallas, TX.

2010
"SculptCAD Rapid Artists", Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Disney Hotel and Conference Center, Anaheim, CA.
"North American Sculpture" Foothills Art Center, Golden, CO. Jurors: Lawrence Argent and John McEnroe
"Gallery Artists", GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM.
"Gallery Artists", Visions West Gallery, Denver, CO and Bozeman, MT.
"Animal Farm", Project Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI."New Texas Talent", Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX. Juror: Thomas Feulmer Director of Educational Programming at The Rachofsky House, Dallas"TEDx". TEDxSMU One Arts Plaza, Dallas, TX.
"Faculty Show", University of North Texas, Denton, TX.
"Peculiar Pleasures" Milkwood Gallery, Cardiff, Wales. Juror Spike Dennis www.eye-sore.co.uk 
Nasher Sculpture Center Stores, both Museum and Northpark Center locations, Dallas, TX.
"Aurora 2010", Aurora Dallas/Cedars Open Studios, Dallas Heritage Village, Dallas, TX.
"25th Annual International Juried Show", Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ. Juror: Joan Young, the Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

2009
“XV”, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.
"Faculty Show', University of North Texas, Denton, TX.
"TCCD NE Faculty Show", Fort Worth Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX.
"Gallery Artists", Seven-O-Seven Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
“Death is Easy, Comedy is Hard”. Red Door Collective, Oakland, CA.
"Gallery Artists", Visions West Gallery, Denver, CO.
"Gallery Artists", Mary Tomas Gallery, Dallas, TX.

2008
"Gallery Artists", Seven-O-Seven Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
“Academia: Pushing the Boundary”, McKinney Avenue Contemporary, Dallas, TX.

2007
"Gallery Artists", Seven-O-Seven Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
“Reconfigured”, Basement Gallery, Knoxville, TN.
Brookhaven Faculty Show”, Brookhaven Community College Forum Gallery, Farmer’s Branch, TX.
Faculty Show TCCD NE”, Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Fort Worth, TX.
Gallery Artists”, Al.so Gallery, Dallas, TX.

2006
“Global Warming”, Al.so Gallery, Dallas, Texas.
“Faculty Show”, Brookhaven Community College Forum Gallery, Farmer’s Branch, TX.
“DADA Gallery Walk Show”, Al.so Gallery, Dallas, TX.
“Gallery’s Artists”, Al.so, Gallery, Dallas, Texas.
“The Stacking Cow”, Brenda Taylor Gallery, New York, New York.
The Stacking Cow”, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, Texas.
Natural Selections”, Al.so Gallery, Dallas, Texas.
Oh6 Selections”, 500 X Gallery, Dallas Texas.

2005
Faculty Show”, Collin County Community College, Spring Creek Campus Gallery, Plano, TX.
UnReal”, University of Texas at Dallas, Main Art Gallery, Richardson, TX.
Faculty Show” Dallas County Community College, Brookhaven College Forum Gallery, Farmers Branch, Texas.

Art Fairs
2016
Dallas Art Fair, Dallas Fashion Industry Gallery, Dallas, TX Sponsor: Ro2 Gallery

2015
Dallas Art Fair, Dallas Fashion Industry Gallery, Dallas, TX Sponsor: Ro2 Gallery

2014
Dallas Art Fair, Dallas Fashion Industry Gallery, Dallas, TX Sponsor: Ro2 Gallery

2008
Bridge Art Fair Wynwood, The Catalina and Maxine Hotels, Miami Beach, FL Sponsor: ALLRiSE Gallery

Permanent Collections:
University of Texas at Austin
Sonny Kamm Collection

AWARDS
​
2017
Phi Kappa Phi Northern Arizona University Artist of the Year

2016
Faculty Advisor for Library Services and Technology Act, $69,451 Cline library Makerspace development grant.

2014
2 pieces printed by University of Texas at Austin for the 25th Annual International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium, the National Science Foundation, and The Office of Naval Research. One piece was retained by the University of Texas.

2013
College of Arts and Letters Summer Research Grant, Northern Arizona University
Parent Leadership Council, Micro grant. Only fully funded grant. Grant used to purchase a 3D printer for the School of Art

2012
College of Arts and Letters Summer Research Grant, Northern Arizona University

2008
Foundation Grant, Brookhaven College, February.

2007
Foundation Grant, Brookhaven College, February.

CURATORIAL PANELS
2015
Un-named 3D printing exhibition at Northern Arizona University Museum for March of 2016, Flagstaff, AZ.

2013
Arranged and organized a show of the Northern Arizona University School of Art faculty at Phoenix College, Phoenix, AZ.
Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Creative and Entertainment Sessions

2012
Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Creative and Entertainment Sessions

Ro2 Art  | 214.803.9575 | 1501 S. Ervay St.,  Dallas, Texas 75215 
Ro2 Art DOWNTOWN | 110 N Akard St., Dallas, Texas 75201

Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 12 - 5 PM 
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