Artist Statement

"I often write my experiences in a journal but find it inadequate to convey how I truly feel. As a result, I translate these paragraphs to a visual form that is three-dimensional, simplistic, and often relatable to many. My sculpture series is a three-dimensional journal that conveys snippets of my emotions and feelings toward life; and the themes of this series often touch upon knowledge and contemplation. I call these sculptures “three dimensional hieroglyphs of my experiences.” Often times, the true meaning of text and words are just beneath that thin layer of their lexical meaning. In other words, we live in a metaphorical world. Three dimensional representation of my experience transcends the boundary of words." -Daniel Lai

Biography

Daniel Lai, a self-taught artist of Chinese descent from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was granted US citizenship through extraordinary ability in field of fine art and arts management in 2014. 

Education: PhD in sociology/criminology (2015) from University of Tennessee, MA in art history (2006) from Montclair State University, and BA in linguistics (2003) from Montclair State University.

Selected Awards: Best in Craft at 2014 Piedmont Park Art Festival (Atlanta, GA.,), Outstanding Achievement at 2015 Gold Coast Art Festival (Chicago, IL.,) Best of Show at Evanston Art Festival (Evanston, IL.,) Best of Show at 2015 Artclectic (Nashville, TN.,) Best of Show at 2015 Artclectic endowed by Tennessee Craft (Nashville, TN.,) Best of 3D at 2018 Old Florida Celebration of the Arts (Cedar Key, FL.,) Best in Show at 2018 ArtsQuest (Miramar Beach, FL.,) and Second Place for 3D mixed media at Coconut Grove (Miami, FL.)