Dzama was born in 1974 in Winnipeg, Canada, where he received his BFA in 1997 from the University of Manitoba. Marcel Dzama's work is characterized by an immediately recognizable visual language that draws from a diverse range of references and artistic influences, including Dada and Marcel Duchamp. While he has become known for his prolific drawings with their distinctive palette of muted colors, in recent years, the artist has expanded his practice to encompass sculpture, painting, film, and dioramas.
Since the late 1990s, Dzama has exhibited widely in solo and group presentations throughout the United States and abroad. In 2010, a major survey of the artist's work was presented at the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal in Montreal. In 2013, Abrams published the first comprehensive monograph of the artist's work, titled Marcel Dzama: Sower of Discord. Produced and designed in collaboration with the artist, it features contributions by Bradley Bailey, Dave Eggers, Spike Jonze, and Raymond Pettibon.
Other solo exhibitions include those organized by Kunstmuseum Thun, Switzerland (2014); Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga, Spain; Museo de Arte de Zapopan (MAZ), Zapopan, Mexico; World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum, St. Louis (all 2012); Gemeentemuseum, The Hague; Kunstverein Braunschweig, Germany (both 2011); Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich (2008); Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, England (2006); and Le Magasin – Centre National d'Art Contemporain de Grenoble, France (2005).
Work by the artist is held in museum collections worldwide, including the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Dallas Museum of Art; Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Tate Gallery, London; and the Vancouver Art Gallery. Dzama lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Ocula News This Week: Glasgow International, Marcel Dzama’s Colouring Book, and More Hong Kong, 28 April 2020 The best art to see online from Tuesday 28 April to Monday 4 May.
Related Press Forgetting the Hand by Marcel Dzama and Raymond Pettibon 15 April 2017, i-D 'Be what you want to be,' Marcel Dzama says of the theme of The Mask Makers, the booth he's curating for David Zwirner at Independent Brussels. 'The mask is freedom, anonymity, a new identity or gender, and bridging us to the afterlife.' The exhibition is rooted in Dzama's own fascination with masks, which have appeared in his work since the...
Related Press Raymond Pettibon keeps drawing over his works at David Zwirner, and other observations this morning in Mayfair 5 October 2016, ARTNews If it wasn’t already evident that it’s Frieze Week in London, a stroll down New Bond Street would probably tip you off, as there are collectors on nearly every corner talking to dealers with binders, with iPads, and making the sounds of work being sold. There are also long lines at the ATMs in the HSBC branch here on one of...
Related Press Marcel Dzama and Raymond Pettibon’s Weird Mind Meld 11 February 2016, Hyperallergic Gumby, surfers, penises, Batman and Robin, naked ladies with machine guns, Diamond Dogs-era David Bowie, bats and skulls, Charles Manson, dancers in polka dot dresses: These are a few of the motifs that crop up in Forgetting the Hand, a show of collaborative works by artists Raymond Pettibon and Marcel Dzama at David Zwirner Gallery.
Related Press Marcel Dzama for the New York City Ballet Art Series 14 January 2016, Juxtapoz New York City Ballet's special Artist Series has come to be one of our favorite artistic collaborations in recent years. From Dustin Yellin to JR and FAILE, the series features special performances and installations created by different artists. This years has us especially excited! Starting January 19th, Marcel Dzama will create a major...
Related Video & Audio Episode 5 | Marcel Dzama and Will Butler 29 August 2018, David Zwirner A conversation about instinct in creative practice that nods to punk rock, fatherhood, and the ethics of artistic expression. In the fifth episode of Dialogues, artist Marcel Dzama—known for his whimsical style, distinctive colour palette, and varying mediums that include drawing, sculpture, film, and costume design—is paired with musician and...
