Home Is Where the Art Is: David Pierce

Painter, filmmaker and animator David Pierce has built a practice based both in suspicion and celebration of two-dimensional media in an effort to communicate its inherent distortions in the larger world. He is a Professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design and an Adjunct Professor at New York University (Humanities, Arts & Writing).

HONG KONG- David Pierce reached out to MOLLY+FRIENDS from his apartment in Hong Kong, where he is currently remaining indoors while working in his full-time home studio:

“It’s not a big space but I’m making due with a nice table for painting/drawing and my digital setup. I’m pushing out a new animated series as I wait to meet my students back online.

“In a way, [having a home studio] has prepared me for working in isolation now and my practice hasn't changed much recently. I have good headphones (so I don't bother neighbors), plants to feel some natural elements, and open windows so I can still feel connected to the city I love.”

Prior to living in Hong Kong, David had a studio in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, where he created “big messy paintings (glitter, ink, silkscreen, acrylics, etc).” His transition into a more condensed workspace abroad has enhanced his gravitation towards the use of watercolors- a neater and more spatially contained medium.

He is currently working on a new watercolor series in which he recreates recent news articles “in the language of the illuminated manuscripts from centuries past.” The paintings beg questions such as “Whose story are we talking about with history?” and “How will our news of today be seen in the future?” David avoids asserting any personal political views onto these works, choosing to present the story “as is” (or at least as is being told). His approach brings a heightened attention to, and underscores the gravity of, the headlines that will historicize our complex world for future generations to come.

These intricate, modern-day manuscripts are accompanied by a series of paintings that pay tranquil homage to his physical surroundings in Hong Kong- from the Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market, to the Sha Tin MTR, to a quiet stairwell in Sai Ying Pun. One recent work depicts an isolated surgical mask- a tragic yet growing symbol of 2020.

Some of these watercolor paintings make their way into David’s animated work, which he also continues to create while social distancing. We discussed his views on the relationship between traditional and technological art practices:

“As a professor of art and design here in Hong Kong I stress the intersection of digital and analog mediums. I believe strongly in supporting the role of the hand in ideas and aesthetics. I am a big supporter and user of digital technologies but I believe in the two living alongside each other. Even if the result is purely digital.”

To learn more about David’s work, visit his website https://davidpierce.org/ or follow him on Instagram @davidpierceart