Daniel-Kayne (Houston)

In 2006 Daniel-Kayne moved to New York City to continue his studies and partake in an installation/painting residency at the New York School of Visual Arts.  Prior to this, he studied painting at The Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.  When he moved to New York, he focused on his art in a SoHo loft that he shared with a Korean Buddhist Monk, living in what was the Zen Center on Spring Street.  The explorer in daniel-kayne has taken him to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East and specifically to such places as Iran for a photo and video project.

Daniel-Kayne was honored twice in 2008, first as the first place winner of Lawndale Art Center’s Big Show, then by the Texas French Alliance for the Arts, as their 1st annual art exhibit & competition winner.  It was after a trip to China in the Spring of 2009, that he began to become even more concerned and interested in understanding his position in the art industry.  Seeing the capitalistic selling and promotion at the Hong Kong Art Fair and the millions of citizens in Hong Kong, Schengen, and Shanghai, impacted him greatly.  He returned to New York questioning his use of materials and the theme to mass produce/sell which seemed to be so prevalent and desired in the commercial art industry.  This lead him to take a sabbatical from the commercial art world in the Spring of 2010, so he could dedicate additional time to installation and performance pieces, but also to refocus his art career path.
Since 2010, Daniel-Kayne has been involved in performance, installation, and sculptural projects at Diverse Works art Space in Houston, ‘The Temple’, Deborah Colton Gallery, and The Orange Show, which is a landmark in the Texas art world.
The other passion post the China trip was to share with others and the public through non-profit art projects such as ‘A Day with Art’ for AIDS Foundation Houston’s Teen Leadership Forum. Daniel-Kayne founded in 2010 the art filled day as part of AFH’s 5 day annual retreat. Also starting in 2010 he began the groundwork in designing ‘Notre Soleil’, a hands on 46 meter circumference sculpture and Earth permanent public art work in Lyon, France which was focused on interacting and involving the children of Leon Berard Hospital/IHOP in Lyon as co-creators in ‘Notre Soleil’ as well as a multitude of French and Texas Artists and volunteers. “Notre Soleil” is a Texan French Alliance for the Arts project.
Current projects which involve performance, installation, and sculpture are intended to challenge interpretations of reality with a strong focus on environmental and social issues.
Upcoming major installation will be at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary (MAC) in Dallas Texas as part of Earth Day museum installations.
Daniel-Kayne currently lives and works primarily in his home town of Houston, Texas.