Delve into artist Stephen Daly’s unique perspective on the intricate relationships between people, our connections to science and nature, and the challenges of modern communication
William Campbell Gallery (WCG) is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition Stephen Daly: The Retrospective. Opening October 26th at 217 Foch Street, Fort Worth, Texas, the exhibition is a celebration of Austin-based artist Stephen Daly’s illustrious career, spanning an impressive forty-six years. Offering a rare insight into Daly’s artistic evolution, The Retrospective features thirty works representative of the internationally-acclaimed artist’s extensive oeuvre.
Stephen Daly’s art delves into the intricate relationships between people, our connections to science and nature, and the challenges of modern communication. Irony and paradox abound in Daly’s work. Both figurative and abstract, his art reflects such dualities as chaos and order, hostility and vulnerability, pessimism and optimism. His work can be at once humorous and unsettling for its cynicism.
Daly describes his work with various mediums, stating, “For me, drawing is a fascinating counterpart to my usual studio practice of sculpture. While sculpture can establish a physical presence and exist in the same space as the spectator, drawing is outside our space and exists in an invented space. Drawing also presents an immediacy, gestural capacity, and atmosphere rarely achieved in sculpture.”
Hopscotch, 2019
Acrylic on canvas
36” x 48”
Blurring the boundaries between two-and three-dimensional forms, Daly creates what he calls “hybrids” or “drawn sculptures.” These pieces combine the static nature of sculpture with the gestural qualities of drawing, challenging convention and encouraging a unique dialogue between different forms in both flat and dimensional space. His use of iconography and often illegible typographies further subverts expectations and invites viewers to engage in free association and creative interpretation.
Stephen Daly’s art is part of prestigious collections around the world, including the Oakland Art Museum, the American Academy in Rome, The McNay Art Museum, and the Sheinbaum Foundation. Since 1985, Stephen Daly has been an exhibitor at William Campbell Gallery, leaving a lasting mark on the art world with his provocative and visually captivating creations.
The public is invited to join the opening reception from 5:00–8:00 pm on October 26, 2023, at 217 Foch Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107.
Circulation, 2008
Ink & watercolor on paper
22” x 30”
To learn more about Stephen Daly and view more of his work, please visit his artist page.