What happens when a sculpture refuses to tell you what it is? Selections from Backstories is an introduction to Doug Cannell’s hybrid works that merge sculpture, installation, and storytelling into layered experiences. Through fabricated histories, playful ephemera, and digital extensions, Cannell creates objects that resist easy definition—oscillating between truth and invention, function and abstraction. Visitors are invited to uncover meaning through active exploration, following threads of narrative that extend beyond the gallery walls.
Backstories was originally exhibited at 108|Contemporary in Tulsa, OK.
ARTIST BIO
Doug Cannell is an artist whose works have been exhibited in museums and art galleries throughout the United States. Born and schooled in Detroit, Cannell now works from his Highland Park, Michigan studio, a former stamping plant. His sculpture employs various materials, exploring their capabilities and pushing their limits. Many of his works are sculpture-based interactive installation pieces that often incorporate printed and online elements. His works are in the permanent collections of the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, the Kresge Foundation, and others. Cannell also teaches at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. His work can be seen at www.dougcannell.com and @dougcannell on Instagram.
ARTIST STATEMENT
When inventing and fabricating the pieces included in Backstories, I noticed that this work was really challenging to describe.
These pieces blur a lot of lines; lines between sculpture and installation, lines between functionality and abstraction, lines between art, craft and design, and even the lines between what we may or may not believe about the things we see and read.
Each piece is a bit puzzling and conceptual, and requires some time and exploration for it to reveal its story. As with books or movies, explaining any given piece in this series would be a spoiler. The joy of these works is in the discovery of them, and I like to think that viewer becomes a part of the creative process by using their imagination to fill in the narrative gaps I have left.
Enjoy.
-Doug Cannell
Image: Doug Cannell, Fever Plug. 2023, Wood, paint, chain. 22” x 13” x 12”. Detail.
