Daniel Rey creates ‘Meditative Environments’ that question conventional notions of masculinity within patriarchal societies, exploring the ritualistic realm in which sports and religion blur and combine. Working across performance, objects and immersive installations; the Venezuelan-Spanish artist seeks to expand our understanding of collective experiences, inviting us to radically re-evaluate the nature of isolation, memory and senses of belonging. 

Central to Rey’s practice is his quest for envisioning the emancipation of queer migrant bodies of the constraints of society norms. 

 

His works are conceived as assemblages, drawing from architecture, sports and religion, and often present themselves as speculative fictional worlds in which a range of situations evolve. Rey sees his upbringing in the complexities of Venezuela as the source of his imagination, reflecting on the political, economic, and social turmoil the country is going through.

 

His process is deeply collaborative, echoing his architectural background. When creating performances, he actively involves members of his queer Latinx community, inviting them to envision worlds where they perform a series of ‘acts’—each participant deciding how to interpret them. The result is an organic and collective work, which is open-ended, and shaped by the evolving dynamics of the group.