"The Unfinished Finished Mia"

The Space Between Them

Building Puzzles and Bending Lines, Artist David Zalben Creates a Bigger Picture

By Angie Hargot

David Zalben, also known as Dave Z, divides his artistic time between his paintings, which painstakingly turn candy tins into tiny Altoids-shaped canvasses, and his signature craft of forming single pieces of black metal wire into silhouetted sculptures. Some even become functional, as the physical nature of the wire allows them to sway and bounce, making for some interesting interaction between pieces.

However, even his stationary pieces convey motion — in the slack in a kite string, the curves of a bubble. In “Humor, Innocence and Truth,” a single balloon arises from an impossible jumble of wire; In “I Once had a Dream,” a group of birds takes off from a power line.

In Zalben’s world, a 50-plus line of poetry is crafted in the handwriting of the bent metal, a sleeping nude woman is painted from a voyeuristic, and quite possibly illegal vantage point and, (sometimes with a little prodding, and sometimes all on their own) sculptures puckishly copulate.

Often, too, Zalben’s work takes on a certain seriousness. In “Two Week Friend” a grouping of seven round paintings, some nudes, offer fragments of an evocative bigger picture. Considering that Zalben creates so many works that are pieced together to create a coherent image, the overall product, along with its title, allude to quite a couple of weeks.

"Bubble Girl and Bubble Boy."

Zalben started painting on small tins to save money, and eventually fell in love with the shape of them. Because the tins are painted individually, once combined the ‘puzzle’ creates scarcely visible yet compelling distortions, not via what is there, but what is not: the space between the pieces. Then, suddenly, the finished works themselves each transform into pieces of a much, much larger puzzle.

How did it all start?
My family moved often when I was young, making it hard to make friends, so I passed the time making pencil drawings of celebrity faces. I would ask [celebrities] to send me head shots, such as Al Pacino and Woody Allen. I even had Woody autograph and return the picture. But it was photography for which I had a passion, even at the age of nine or 10 I clicked away with an old rangefinder my uncle gave me. So as time passed I focused solely on photography, and then worked as a professional photographer in advertising in Chicago, where I created a new photo technique that I termed “Selective Focus.” Mainly, I produced still-life imagery, then evolved into shooting lifestyle portraits. Much later I met artist Adriana Carvalho, who opened my eyes to contemporary art. When we moved to Brazil, for a short spell I practiced painting far more than working in photography, and though they were not well painted, I did feel a strong connection with the medium. Upon my return to the States I kept painting, letting my photography slide, although now I do teach a couple of black-and-white [photography] courses in the Art Center South Florida.

"Trick or Treat"

How do you describe your vision?
I have a quote that I wrote, and have it installed in my studio: “Live by observation, not tracing.” So whether it is photography, writing poetry, painting or wirework, I want to express something fresh, with the goal of creating work that resonates. Now I mainly focus on and switch between painting on tins and wirework.

What are the biggest challenges involved in using the mediums?
Well, being an impatient person, all things test me. I find the tins far more difficult to create, which I’ve found gives me a more profound happiness when completing one. The wirework I can see to fruition rather quickly, and that satisfies my impatience as well. Sort of a balance I suppose. Generally, as a self taught artist, it’s a great challenge to conquer a technique that feels right. The paintings on tins are complicated because I paint each tin separately, and slowly assemble them like a puzzle. My style of painting is odd in that each inch that I paint is complete. So the segmentation that occurs with the tins fits perfectly with my personality and my technique. Since the tins have space between them, an additional challenge is being willing to change the subject or its perspective slightly as the images emerge.

The wirework mostly dwells on ideas and connecting with emotions. The poetry in wire is complicated because I want to communicate volumes as minimally as possible, have it be clear to understand, but open to interpretation. The poetry is also sculpture, so I must be flexible to change a word or two in order for the wire to read well. Overall the physical challenge is working out methods, and the ability to capture the feeling of my subject minimally with only one line of wire, without cutting it. Some pieces are more of a challenge than others, but usually I can just dive in and figure it out.

The erotic ‘motion’ wire pieces are quite playful. What is the intention behind them? Do you ever invite patrons to give them a little poke (no pun intended)?
Humor. I adore humor in art work. But the movement was really a fun side effect that I didn’t consciously try and work out. My first wire movement was a [girl’s] hand reaching to pinch her own nipple (titled “Trick or Treat”). I liked the odd sensuality, but then afterward I touched the hand and it bounced back and forth. Even now I don’t create the piece thinking of movement, they either do or don’t. Most people don’t know they move until I show them, except for one or two that seem to move without touching them. With so many people coming through, I’m careful not to allow them to touch the wirework because they often have a heavy hand and it takes just a slight push.

You make use of a recurring theme of eroticism across your other mediums as well. Yeah, I guess my work incorporates my personality. Not just eroticism, but humor, irony and innocence. But I like things sensual. Women are throughout my work because they are a big part of my life, and inspire the art.

"Two Week Friend"

The most flattering comment you’ve ever received about your work?
People are always saying wonderful things about the work, to the point of making me blush. But that is why I know it isn’t about me, but about the art and what it can do for us all. And I’ve come to understand it should connect and bond us together.

The most insulting?
My first painting of a fedora hat. Adriana just shrugged her shoulders and said, “eh!”

Your most memorable or popular pieces?
Probably the wire balloon installation. I’ve produced a few installations with nearly 80 flying off into space in forced perspective ... well that and the wire blowjob.

What are you seeing in the art world and art market in general?
I think being an artist encompasses many aspects, including self-education and selling the work, but I generally don’t dwell on what is hot or not, I create my own reality based on lifestyle not career.

What’s next for you?
I’m always working out new ideas in the studio. And recently I’ve started a new project out of my apartment called “Zhole Space,” with the goal of creating an alternative way of showing other artists’ work. Where that will take me, I can’t say, but I’m having fun.

See more of Dave ZZ’s work at http://web.mac.com/davezz/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html

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