Daniel Freyne, a Scottish artist with a unique journey. Formally trained as a blacksmith, his work is a modern representation of a timeless craft. It should be seen as a homage to the foundations of blacksmithing, yet a distinct breakaway from the romanticised notions of what a smith is and is not.
Born in Edinburgh in 1994, Daniel embarked on a blacksmithing journey over twelve years ago. Following a rigorous five-year apprenticeship, he embarked on a journeyman adventure, spanning six European countries, collaborating with world renowned blacksmiths. After this, he pursued a bachelor's degree in Fine Art, specializing in Metal, from Gothenburg University, Sweden. His educational journey culminated in 2023 with the completion of a Master's in Fine Art from the same institution.
Presenting a deceptive reimagination of iron work, Daniel pushes the boundaries of what is though possible with his chosen material, iron.
Collection of Work
Pressure
This series of work gives scope to the notion that nothing is everlasting. By exploring material though the process of applying immense pressure, Freyne’s objective is to make the steel crack; manifesting the breakdown of the materiality.
Perceptions
This body of work seeks to question the viewers understandings of materiality and ways of seeing.
Although forged from iron, there are mannerisms in the works that aren’t specific that material. The familiar archetypal form embodies a likeness to ceramics. Due to personal insights, innovative techniques, and experimentation knowledge, Freyne uses craft as a tool to achieve this ‘allusion’.
Transition
Questioning the symbolism of the vessel, Freyne pushes the boundaries of perception. Presenting a deceptive reimagination of iron, surface cracks and fissures seek to change the viewer’s perspective of material knowns.
Armored vessels
Delving into the material's intricacies, Freyne casts a spotlight on the unexpected fragility of iron—an aspect often overlooked. Through deliberate application of pressure, aiming to induce cracks in the iron, he portrays a shift: the gentle breakdown of something inherently strong.
Anchor
This body of work is an investigation into notions of strength. It examines a period of vulnerability, when life was uncertain; a seeming incompleteness that eventually led to a breaking point. These ostensibly solid blocks represent the moment before that collapse.
The solid mass retains its strength, yet layer by layer the piece crumbles.
Layered Bowls
This series of work aims to capture the spontaneity, rawness and complexity of rock formations found near, and around water. By doing so, Freyne questions our relationship to time, and how everything will change.
