Sam Durant

Sam Durant is renowned for his exploration of social, political, and cultural events from history within his artistic practice. His primary focus is on American history, with specific emphasis on critical topics like the Civil Rights Movement, the clash between early settlers and Native Americans, and international trade dynamics. A distinctive aspect of Durant's work involves his frequent use of globes and maps to craft imaginative depictions of alternative histories and geographies.

Sam Durant's Artistic Approach

In the early 1990s, Sam Durant embarked on a journey within the realm of art that revolved around American history. His artistic practice spans a diverse range of mediums, allowing him to explore multifaceted themes such as colonialism, the death penalty, surveillance, and slavery, to name a few.

For Sam Durant, art is a medium through which individuals can tap into their humanity more deeply and strive to mitigate inhumanity. He believes that art plays an integral role in the ongoing struggle for a better world.

An illustrative example of his work is "Untitled (Drone)" (2021), which involved the installation of a sculpture on the Highline. This sculpture took on the abstracted form of a Predator drone and was complemented by a zine focusing on drone surveillance and warfare. Through this public art piece, the artist meticulously researched and amassed knowledge about drone warfare, shedding light on the numerous innocent lives lost, the frequent mishaps in drone strikes, the inadequate oversight, and the profound toll it exacts not just on innocent civilians but also on the soldiers who operate these machines. The immense stress and harm inflicted on all those involved in such programs are paramount concerns within this compelling work.

Sam Durant's sculpture "Scaffold"

In the garden of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Sam Durant erected a two-story wooden beam sculpture known as "Scaffold." This thought-provoking sculpture was designed to symbolize the gallows employed in seven hangings sanctioned by the U.S. government, spanning from 1859 to 2006. It was intended to shed light on America's history of state violence and its utilization of the death penalty.

However, the unveiling of the sculpture was met with protests from Native American groups, causing a delay in the opening of the gallery's public art garden. The protesters took issue with a specific reference within the sculpture, which alluded to the tragic 1862 hanging of 38 Dakota Indians in Mankato, Minnesota. This aspect of the artwork was perceived as a form of cultural appropriation, and it sparked significant controversy within the Native American community.

Accolades and Achievements

Sam Durant has made significant contributions to the art world, co-organizing numerous group shows and artists' benefits. He is also a co-founder of Transforma, a cultural rebuilding collective project initiated in New Orleans.

His notable accomplishments include being a finalist for the 2008 Hugo Boss Prize, which acknowledges artistic excellence, and receiving a United States Artists Board Fellowship and a City of Los Angeles Individual Artist Grant.

Furthermore, his work has been integrated into various prestigious public collections, including The Art Gallery of Western Australia in Perth, Tate Modern in London, Project Row Houses in Houston, and MoMA in New York.