Daniel Zeller at Pierogi

Pierogi is delighted to present an exhibition of new work by Daniel Zeller. Zeller’s drawings continue to oscillate between micro and macro views of invented worlds. His imagery derives from his interest in satellite images, topographical maps, electron micrographs, anatomical drawings, among others. He refers to the thin layer of life on the surface of the earth as a skin, and the language of mark-making that he has developed explores at once the texture of this skin and its deep cellular level. He is fascinated by the simultaneous dichotomy and interwoven relationship between these two views of our world, and constantly moves back and forth between them.

Zeller’s references tend to be two dimensional-representations of three-dimensional phenomena. He originally studied and worked as a sculptor and the residue of his interest in three-dimensionality is obvious in his drawings. “It’s only relatively recently—in terms of evolutionary time—that we’ve been making and referring to two-dimensional representations of our world, and very recently since we’ve had the kinds of imagery that we can create today, through modern technology. We can translate it, and even mostly understand it, but who knows how it is affecting our subconscious.” (Zeller, Architextures interview)

Zeller’s process is dynamic and direct, what he describes as “a fluid series of spontaneous choices governed by self-imposed rules and conditions. The main rule is to …respect what has already been put on the page,” not to cross or obscure lines already laid down. A tension between spontaneity and predictability is central to this process. Through it his goal is to discover new vocabulary and new rules to incorporate, allowing the cycle to expand and evolve.

“A spectacle can be created from the most modest means…. Daniel Zeller manages with just pen and ink, and sometimes just pencil. His drawings…are pulse-quickening, reason-defying wonders, testaments to the boundless potential of the human mind and hand.” He “…traces complexity itself, as a condition, a matter of connections, divergence, transitions and completions, the known and the imagined reconciled with extravagant finesse.” (Leah Ollman, The Los Angeles Times)

Zeller’s work has been included in numerous exhibitions and is part of the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (NYC), the Whitney Museum of American Art (NYC), the Albright Knox Museum (NY), among others.