Motto

"Smoke is the most non-geometric manifestation of matter ... yet it too has a hidden number, it is predictable and follows a pattern. If people were made of straight lines, if we had edges, angles, and flat surfaces, we would never be able to understand smoke, water, or air. We would limit our life philosophy to the infinite rays of the sun. That is why we like imperfection, that is why no one is perfect."

Daniel Pop

Born in 1976, Daniel Pop is the founder of the artistic group Firekultur (established in 2016) and a designer specializing in furniture and ceramic environmental installations. Combining diverse skills, he creates objects at the boundary between art, design, and architecture. In 2000, he graduated from the Cultural Heritage section of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Iași, specializing in the restoration of polychrome wood. For a few years, he explored technical drawing, CAD design, and CNC programming. In 2007, he settled in London where he excelled in restoration, among his latest projects being the decoration and refurbishment of the wooden architectural elements of The Wardrobe and The Trumpets buildings within the Richmond Palace castle complex, built during the Tudor dynasty. Passionate about the study and chemistry of materials and the aesthetics of surfaces and forms in the artistic field, and having gained experience through participation in extensive projects both at home and abroad, in 2012, he decided to deepen his knowledge in the field of sculpture through a master's degree at the Faculty of Visual Arts and Design, "George Enescu" National University of Arts, Iași. This academic direction led him to discover ceramics as a new way to express his personal creativity.

The artistic approach found at Firekultur is characterized by a fascination with the transformative potential of materials and a research into textures and forms. He uses ceramics as a versatile medium to create unique and evocative pieces that transcend mere functionality.

In his monumental compositions, the artist bets on geometric simplicity and a captivating chromatic spectacle. The object and furniture installations take on a massive, brutalist sculptural expression, and the rough volcanic glazes, used as a result of research over the past 10 years, dress the forms, giving them an original expression.