Daniel Lee Whyte

About

My name is Daniel Whyte, I am a multidisciplinary figurative artist studying at the University of Alberta. Currently, I am interested in combining oil painting and sculpture to create didactic, narrative-driven works that engage both viewers and the venue. My paintings are expressive and representational, often depicting people within urban and domestic scenes. My painted work focuses heavily on light and shadow, carefully documenting interesting colour relationships found in mundane, everyday scenes. My sculptural pieces and supporting elements are typically built using discarded secondhand materials, including fabric, furniture, and disposable food and drink containers.

Conceptually, I would define my current body of work as social realism. I take great influence from artists within and adjacent to the genre, including Käthe Kollwitz, Dragan Bibin, and Jacob Lawrence. Informed by my own lived experience and the experiences of those within my community, I aim to present ‘inconvenient’ realities to audiences with varying degrees of detachment from subjugation, marginalization, and unmet needs. I feel it is important that the wider community has access to these experiences in order to culminate a greater sense of social obligation and compassion. I work in accordance with my community’s needs because I believe that a united, attentive community is essential to overcoming systemic barriers.

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