Initially gaining recognition for his intricately detailed drawings, Marcel Dzama’s work has recently expanded into the fields of sculpture and painting, with sustained exploration into the diorama form. Defined by their subdued palette and intricate narratives, Dzama’s works, whimsical at first sight, reveal unexpected horrors upon close inspection; with Canadian folk-lore, art-historical motifs, and depictions of contemporary violence combining to provide a political and historical context for what often at first appear to be fantastical three-dimensional collages.
Born in Canada, 1974, Dzama now lives and works in Brooklyn, returning to Canada in 2013 with a solo show at The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto. He has also had recent shows at David Zwirner Gallery London (2013), Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Spain (2012), the Museo de Arte de Zapopan, Mexico (2012) and the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal in Montreal, Canada (2010). Group exhibitions have included Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf (2013), The National Gallery of Canada (2012), The Museum of Modern Art, New York (2012, 2009, 2008) and The National Arts Centre, Canada (2011). His work is held in numerous public collections including The Museum of Modern Art, New York, and The Tate Gallery, London.