An artist hailing from Romania is exhibiting a sample of his work at a Preston kitchen worktop showroom.
Dan Ciucur produces art in a wide range of techniques and materials from stone, wood and clay to recyclable materials, plus drawings, film decor, architectural restoration and shadows sculpture.
Dan works in a variety of mediums
Some of his pieces are on display at Granite House in Strand Road, where he works as a mason.
Dan was inspired to create volume art after seeing an image of an iconic sculpture
“I was born in the picturesque, ancient town of Deva in the heart of the Transylvania mountains, on a cold Christmas night, approximately -28C, in 1985,” Dan told Blog Preston.
“Growing up in the 1990s allowed me to enjoy a free childhood. I discovered the beautiful forms of nature in the branches and roots of the forest of a citadel on the top of an inactive volcano from the time of the Dacian kingdom.
“In my childhood, I was guided by my grandfather, a military musician who tried to discipline me. He later gave up, realising that I was a creative free spirit doing things the way I believed.”
Dan with his horse head sculpture outside Granite House
Dan’s first formal step toward the arts was in music, where he started with piano exams.
His passion soon shifted toward visual arts when, as a youngster, an encounter with Umberto Boccioni’s iconic sculpture, Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, left a lasting impression on him.
Dan said: “The image I saw of this unique sculpture triggered my desire to create volume art.
“I went on to study sculpture at high school and then at the National University of Arts in Bucharest.
“Since then I’ve participated in numerous exhibitions and competitions, most notably winning first prize at Magura Sculpture Camp.”
Dan – who worked as a designer stone carver in the marble industry in Italy after getting a job in collaboration with Granite House in 2013 – is now busy preparing for a personal exhibition later next year.
To find out more or collaborate with Dan, follow him @dan_dc_artwork on Instagram and Facebook.
This story was made possible by you, our readers, and a host of organisations in the city, through our Crowdfund Lancashire appeal, which unlocked support from the Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund provided by Lancashire County Council. You can see all our coverage and, if you know of an arts project or event in the city we should be covering, you can submit it for our event listings and/or send details to contactus@blogpreston.co.uk for us to cover it as a story on the Blog.
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