Marcel Dzama
Encyclopedia
Marcel Dzama is a contemporary artist who lives and works in New York
. His work has been exhibited internationally, in particular his ink and watercolor drawings.
.
Dzama's work has been used on the covers of a number of albums, notably The Else
by They Might Be Giants
, Guero
by Beck
and Reconstruction Site
by The Weakerthans
. His costume designs can also be seen in music videos for both the Bob Dylan
song "When the Deal Goes Down", the N.A.S.A. song "The People Tree" and the Department of Eagles
song "No One Does It Like You
", which he also co-directed. McSweeney's
has published two collections of his work, The Berlin Years in 2003 (reprinted in 2006) and a follow-up, The Berliner Ensemble Thanks You All, in 2008.
Dzama received his BFA from the University of Manitoba
. Since 1998, Dzama has been represented by David Zwirner
in New York, at which he has had solo exhibitions.
Dzama Stories is a piece of music inspired by Marcel Dzama by composer Ed Bennett
. It is music for amplified ensemble, electronics and improviser featuring Decibel and Paul Dunmall
.
in Birmingham, England, which traveled to the Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow, Scotland.
Over the past decade, his work has been featured in numerous international exhibitions, including “Compass in Hand: Selections from The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection” at The Museum of Modern Art
, New York (2009); “Moby Dick” at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco (2009); “Sobey Art Award Short List” at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (2009); "Wunderkammer: A Century of Curiosities" at The Museum of Modern Art
, New York (2008); "In Me / Out of Me" at P.S.1. Contemporary Art Center and Kunst-Werke, Berlin, Germany (2007). In 2006, he was included in the Whitney Biennial
exhibition, “Down By Law: Day for Night” at the Whitney Museum of American Art
in New York. In the late 1990s Dzama participated in the group exhibitions “Greetings from Winnipeg” at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, Minneapolis and “Contemporary American Realist Drawings, the Jalane and Richard Davidson Collection” at The Art Institute of Chicago (both 1999).
, Washington, D.C.; Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas; Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, North Miami, Florida; The Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York; Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada and The Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, Rhode Island.
Collectors of his work include Spike Jonze, Bennett Miller, Kevin Hearn
, Brad Pitt, Jim Carrey
, Drew Carey
, Viggo Mortensen and Steve Martin.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. His work has been exhibited internationally, in particular his ink and watercolor drawings.
Range of practice
Dzama also works extensively in sculpture, painting, collage, and film. The artist is also known for his intricately conceived dioramas and large scale polyptychs that draw from his talents across a range of media. Dzama works in multiple disciplines to bring his cast of human figures, animals, and imaginary hybrids to life, and has developed an international reputation and following for his art that depicts fanciful, anachronistic worlds. The artist is also known for his work with The Royal Art LodgeThe Royal Art Lodge
The Royal Art Lodge is a collaborative group of artists based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that was founded in 1996 by Michael Dumontier, Marcel Dzama, Neil Farber, Drue Langlois, Jonathan Pylypchuk, and Adrian Williams. Hollie Dzama and Myles Langlois also worked with the group...
.
Dzama's work has been used on the covers of a number of albums, notably The Else
The Else
The Else is the 12th studio album by rock duo They Might Be Giants, released by Idlewild Records in 2007. The album was produced in part by The Dust Brothers, along with Pat Dillett and the band....
by They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
, Guero
Guero
Guero is the ninth studio album by American alternative rock artist Beck, first released in March 2005 on Interscope Records. It debuted on Billboard's Top 200 Album chart at #2 , and in the UK at #15 . To date, this is Beck's highest charting CD...
by Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
and Reconstruction Site
Reconstruction Site
Reconstruction Site is a 2003 album by The Weakerthans. A song cycle about grief, regret, loss and eventual hope, the album is thematically framed by three tracks, "", "" and "", which set three different sonnets following a terminally ill hospital patient into the aftermath of his death to the...
by The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans are a four-piece Canadian indie rock band.-History:The band was formed in 1997 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by John K. Samson, after he left the punk band Propagandhi to start a publishing company. Samson joined forces with bassist John P...
. His costume designs can also be seen in music videos for both the Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
song "When the Deal Goes Down", the N.A.S.A. song "The People Tree" and the Department of Eagles
Department of Eagles
Department of Eagles is a band formed in 2000 by friends and New York University roommates Daniel Rossen and Fred Nicolaus...
song "No One Does It Like You
No One Does It Like You
"No One Does It Like You" is a single by Department of Eagles from their 2008 album, In Ear Park. The B-side is a cover of the 2006 JoJo single, Too Little Too Late. The 7" vinyl release of the single was available for free to people who have pre-ordered In Ear Park online...
", which he also co-directed. McSweeney's
McSweeney's
McSweeney's is an American publishing house founded by editor Dave Eggers.Apart from its book list, McSweeney's is responsible for four regular publications: the quarterly literary journal,...
has published two collections of his work, The Berlin Years in 2003 (reprinted in 2006) and a follow-up, The Berliner Ensemble Thanks You All, in 2008.
Dzama received his BFA from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
. Since 1998, Dzama has been represented by David Zwirner
David Zwirner
David Zwirner is a gallerist and art dealer and owner of the David Zwirner Gallery in New York City. In 2010 Zwirner was listed at number four in the ArtReview annual "Power 100" list.-Early Life:...
in New York, at which he has had solo exhibitions.
Dzama Stories is a piece of music inspired by Marcel Dzama by composer Ed Bennett
Ed Bennett (composer)
Ed Bennett is a Composer. He states that "Musical accidents, stark contrasts and the freshness of improvisation interest me. Striving for perfection leads me to boredom...
. It is music for amplified ensemble, electronics and improviser featuring Decibel and Paul Dunmall
Paul Dunmall
Paul Dunmall is a British jazz saxophonist who plays tenor and soprano saxophone as well as the baritone and the more exotic Saxello and the Northumbrian pipes.He has a long discography on the Duns Limited Edition label....
.
Exhibitions
Dzama has been the subject of recent solo exhibitions at the Musée d'Art Contemporain de Montréal, Montreal, Canada (2010) and Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany (2008). In 2006 he had an exhibition at the Ikon GalleryIkon Gallery
The Ikon Gallery is an English gallery of contemporary art, located in Brindleyplace, Birmingham. It is housed in the Grade II listed, neo-gothic former Oozells Street Board School, designed by John Henry Chamberlain in 1877. The gallery's current director is Jonathan Watkins.Ikon was set up to...
in Birmingham, England, which traveled to the Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow, Scotland.
Over the past decade, his work has been featured in numerous international exhibitions, including “Compass in Hand: Selections from The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection” at The Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
, New York (2009); “Moby Dick” at CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco (2009); “Sobey Art Award Short List” at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (2009); "Wunderkammer: A Century of Curiosities" at The Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
, New York (2008); "In Me / Out of Me" at P.S.1. Contemporary Art Center and Kunst-Werke, Berlin, Germany (2007). In 2006, he was included in the Whitney Biennial
Whitney Biennial
The Whitney Biennial is a biennale exhibition of contemporary American art, typically by young and lesser known artists, on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, USA. The event began as an annual exhibition in 1932, the first biennial was in 1973...
exhibition, “Down By Law: Day for Night” at the Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
in New York. In the late 1990s Dzama participated in the group exhibitions “Greetings from Winnipeg” at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, Minneapolis and “Contemporary American Realist Drawings, the Jalane and Richard Davidson Collection” at The Art Institute of Chicago (both 1999).
Collections
Dzama's work is in the collections of major museums and public institutions, including the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, New York, New York; the Bass Museum of Art, Miami, Florida; the Corcoran Gallery of ArtCorcoran Gallery of Art
The Corcoran Gallery of Art is the largest privately supported cultural institution in Washington, DC. The museum's main focus is American art. The permanent collection includes works by Rembrandt, Eugène Delacroix, Edgar Degas, Thomas Gainsborough, John Singer Sargent, Claude Monet, Pablo...
, Washington, D.C.; Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas; Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, North Miami, Florida; The Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York; Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada and The Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, Rhode Island.
Collectors of his work include Spike Jonze, Bennett Miller, Kevin Hearn
Kevin Hearn
Kevin Neil Hearn is a Canadian musician who is currently the keyboardist of Barenaked Ladies and his own group, Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle. He is also a former member of Rheostatics.-Early life:...
, Brad Pitt, Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
, Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
, Viggo Mortensen and Steve Martin.
External links
- Marcel Dzama at David Zwirner
- Selected Press at David Zwirner
- Marcel Dzama on Artnet
- Marcel Dzama: Aux mille tours at the MACM
- Marcel Dzama: Even the Ghost of the Past at Strand Bookstore
- The New York Times Magazine "Drawn to Trouble"
- NOW Magazine "Drawing power: Marcel Dzama"
- BBC Collective Video tour of show at Ikon Gallery, interview, image gallery
- BBC Imagine Exquisite corpse to which Dzama contributed