Daniel Zalla: Young Master-in-the-Making
Apr 30, 2020
As far back as he can remember, Daniel Zalla wanted to study art in Italy. Two years ago, after coming to Xavier as an art major, he got his chance when he went on a study abroad trip to Rome and stayed on to continue his studies in Florence.
Spending a month in the city that is a center of Renaissance art and architecture was an amazing experience for Daniel, but he knew that one month wasn’t enough. He made it his personal goal to get back to Florence, and this fall—the coronavirus notwithstanding—he will achieve his dream.
About three months after finishing his degree in Fine Art in May, he’s going back to Florence, the place where his passion for art by the masters was first nurtured two years ago, to study at the Florence Academy of Art. He was accepted as a full-time student in the Advanced Painting program and will complete the one-year Intensive Drawing curriculum.
“I am extremely excited for this next step in my artistic career,” Daniel said. “I think this next year will give me a great opportunity to study the masters at the incredible museums in Florence as well as learn from some of the best classical painters in the world. I know that it will help me to become a better draftsman, and it will help me immensely in interpreting the world through art.”
Right now Daniel’s program is on track to start on Sept. 28. Students who are currently enrolled in the academy must work from their home studios, but Daniel said it’s unknown if coronavirus restrictions will still be in place when he arrives at his apartment in Florence. He will have spent July studying at the New York Academy of Art’s residency program, for which he was awarded a full scholarship. But he is looking forward to living in Italy and learning from some of the best painters in the world today.
This is no small feat, said Art Professor Bruce Erikson, who encouraged him to apply.
“The program is fairly small and incredibly competitive,” Erikson said. “Most students wanting to enroll in the FAA want to master traditional technical and material facility dating back to the workshops of the Renaissance.”
Daniel is aware that he is young and has a lot to learn, but he wants to learn from the best. Understanding this about Daniel helps explain the title of his senior thesis exhibit, “Old Masters: Young Artist,” that was on display at the Xavier Art Gallery in February. Some of it can be viewed on his Instagram page.
Studying at the Academy will help him to increase his skills in areas he wants to perfect. He also said the Academy will teach him how to think. He wants to see the world in a way that is similar to how the masters did during the Renaissance.
“In an art world obsessed with post-modernism and an ‘anything goes’ style of creation, I find a necessary foundation in the truths of beauty established by the old masters and classical realism,” Daniel said.
When asked about how he first became interested in art, Daniel said it began when he was a little boy. “Growing up, we didn’t have a TV with cable, so I would take a stack of blank computer paper that my mother kept and start to draw on it,” he said.
His interest in art continued to develop, and by the time he was in high school, he stood out for his talent as an artist. By the time he got to Xavier, Daniel had developed into a skilled artist with talent using a variety of media, varying from graphite sketches to woodprints to oil paint—his preferred medium.
Daniel’s art is packed with symbolism that he compares to interpreting a dream. One piece from his senior showcase, “Wise Men,” features three of Xavier’s well-known Jesuits—Father Al Bischoff, President Michael J. Graham and Father Luke Hansen of the Center for Faith and Justice.
In the painting, the Jesuits are searching for the truth, and the truth is coming from the sun in the center. This miniature solar system is meant to symbolize the scientific side. Daniel has an appreciation and respect for the Jesuits, not only current ones but those from the past as well, for their longing to find the truth.
Another piece titled “La Primavera” features three members of his family, reflecting how important his family is to him. On the far right his older sister, Elizabeth, is holding flowers. In the middle is his younger sister, Kathryn, holding a butterfly net and trying to catch a few in the air. On the far left sits his mother, holding a leash tethered to a dog.
This painting is appealing because it incorporates an original drawing with butterflies, dogs and flowers that Daniel drew when he was 4 years old. The people in the painting are engaged in the same activities as the characters in the drawing he did as a child, reflecting his deep connections with these three family members from the very beginning. They have all watched his talents grow first-hand.
After Florence, Daniel’s future is wide open. He will likely come back to the states to pursue an advanced degree. He wants to get a master’s for two reasons: In case he wants to teach in the future; and because earning a graduate degree might give him the most freedom to pursue his art career.
Daniel has truly enjoyed his past few years at Xavier and attributes a good portion of his success to his professors and others who helped and encouraged him along his journey.
“Xavier has been extremely helpful for my artistic growth, especially certain professors such as Bruce Erikson,” Daniel said. “He has opened my eyes to many considerations about why we make art, how to compose a successful painting, and the meanings that each decision in a painting holds. He is constantly pushing me to take my work in different directions and never to give up experimenting and learning.”
Daniel encourages young artists to pursue their passion, to be humble enough to accept criticism but bold enough to persevere along their own path, and most importantly, to study the masters.
Feature Image: Daniel Zalla in Venice, Italy, in 2018.
By Michael Farrere, Class of 2020