Dana Piazza creates abstract paintings and drawings on paper, panel, and canvas that explore the illusion of depth, movement, and dimensionality. Executed with exceptional precision, his process is rooted in mental algorithms, which are self-imposed systems of logic and repetition that guide each work toward an unknown visual outcome.
Themes of chance, discovery, and time are central to Piazza’s visual language. His intricately structured ink drawings, often rendered in semi-monochromatic palettes, evoke patterns and textures that appear both familiar and enigmatic. While his approach is methodical, unintentional variations in mark-making inevitably arise. These subtle deviations generate visual distortions that recall digital renderings and optical illusions, reinforcing the tension between order and unpredictability. The fallibility of the hand becomes essential to the work’s evolution, as each mark prompts the next in a cumulative process that balances chaos with control.
Dana Piazza earned a BFA magna cum laude from the School of Art + Design at Purchase College in 2010. He lives and works in Lenox, Massachusetts, and has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions.
