Danny with his crew casting lava directly from a flow on Volcano Pacaya, Guatemala. 2010.
Danny’s interest in lava started over thirty years ago after spending six months painting volcanoes in the Andes of Northern Chile which has one of the largest concentration of volcanoes in the world. More recently, he has been going to erupting volcanoes in Hawaii and Guatemala to catch molten lava flowing from volcanic vents to create sculpture - the first person to do this. He feels this is a deeply symbolic artistic gesture which permeated each piece of work brought home. The whole surface of the earth was covered with lava four billion years ago. It slowly cooled over many millions of years and metamorphosed into all the minerals, rocks, water and lifeforms, including us. Danny says, “When I form a sculpture of a conquistadores helmet or a baby bottle from molten lava, it takes a mighty great leap in time, from the creation of the earth to the brutality of the conquistadors or the nurturing of a baby’s bottle of milk.”
Gerry assisting Danny with casting lava on Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, 2012.
Danny opening stomach mould. Hawaii 2012.
Danny opening ammo box mould, Hawaii 2012.
Bowler Hat, cast lava, 16 x 28 x 34cms. 2015.
Three pith helmets, cast lava, each 22.5 x 25 x 30cms. 2015
Babies bottles and spare teats, cast lava. each 19 x 5.5 x 5.5cms. 2015.
Bible, cast lava, 22 x 15 x 6cms. 2017.
Mitt forming hot lava, 2017.
Cossett’s house before and after the 2018 eruption in Hawaii. We lived there for two months and it used to be right on the beach, but is now half a mile inland due to the massive outpouring of lava. Everything in the house was lost but generally local people are philosophical about the volcano and accept it as part of life there.
