CuratorSpace Artist Bursary #34: Dan Harland

Dan Harland is an artist based in Leeds, UK. Working from memory rather than direct observation, his practice examines memory as a fluid construction that fragments, distorts, and merges with other experiences or even figments of the imagination. Using drawing, painting and material experimentation, his work asks the question: how reliable are the stories people tell themselves about their own lives? 

At the centre of Daniel’s work is an ongoing investigation into how people construct a sense of self. He is particularly interested in the formative memories that shape behaviour, emotions and identity, creating paintings that show this distorted experience. Each painting begins with a drawing, recording not only the remembered event but also the act of recalling it. Rather than concealing these initial marks, Daniel leaves them exposed within the finished painting, allowing viewers to see the process beneath.

His interest in memory has expanded beyond imagery into the materials themselves, painting directly onto objects that carry a connection to the past. One of his recent paintings was made on an old T-shirt worn during the depicted event, creating a relationship between memory and material. Through further experiments with curtains, wallpaper and other domestic textiles, he plans to consider how objects accumulate personal associations and how those associations influence acts of remembrance.

Alongside these experiments, Daniel is exploring scale and form. Much of his recent work has been produced on a relatively small scale, so he is now investigating how his visual language might operate at larger sizes, potentially creating greater complexity. He also aims to expand into 3D by incorporating frames and found object assemblages into his painting practice. 

You can find out more about the CuratorSpace Artist Bursary and how to apply at bursary.curatorspace.com.

Image credit: Dan Harland, Past Your Bedtime (detail), Oil, ink and graphite on Board, 2026

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