Abstract:
Yves Dana (b.1959, Alexandria, Egypt) creates sculptures in stone, plaster and bronze inspired by the restrained, pared-back forms of ancient Egyptian sculpture. In 1961, the Dana family left Egypt for Switzerland, where the artist settled. After studying Sociology at the University of Lausanne (1979–1981), Dana set up his first sculpture studio and earned an MFA from l’École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Geneva, in 1983. From then on, Dana devoted his time entirely to sculpture and spent years exploring different materials, principally iron, quickly achieving recognition with regular exhibitions.
Dana sources the best quality stone from around the world, including limestone from Egypt, France and Turkey, serpentine from Italy and diabase from Germany. He combines innovative carving techniques with traditional tools to create precise planar forms. With each work created over several weeks or months, the physicality of carving stone, with deep sensitivity to its tones and texture, is evident in the subtlest details of each work.