The art of John Rais

BEN DORY. Hematite and Sequin Ring, 2019. Stainless, hematite, sequins. 2.5 inches x 1.5inches x 1.5 inches.

BEN DORY: ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Excerpt from Dory’s Metal Museum solo exhibition, Kissing Numbers, in Memphis, TN:

Ben Dory is fascinated with the how of granulation, an ancient technique where small, primarily gold spheres are fused together using a torch or kiln. How do spheres of various sizes fit together and form simple, repeatable structures?

Dory is a pioneer of the stainless steel granulation technique and uses special machines to individually micro-weld the steel granules together and onto a base surface. His work both honors the tradition of granulation and breaks from it. His work begins by following certain geometric guidelines, but his creativity is not constrained by them. According to Dory, “as the granules move away from vertical stacking and onto curved surfaces, the rules bend…” and previously finite strategies blossom with potential. As Dory explores the possibilities, his style shifts from scientific and molecular to emotive and ornate, reminiscent of the Victorian era with all its flourishes. Dory relishes the exacting and inspiring challenge that granulation presents today’s artists.

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