For many artists, designers, and writers, engaging in a daily project is both rewarding and refreshing. Whether it’s through a morning sketch or by collecting objects during walks, the discipline of creativity is captivating. Many people yearn for a routine that overcomes creative blocks, encouraging production even in less inspiring circumstances.
This holds true for Damien Hoar de Galvan, who began a daily sculpture endeavor at the start of 2024 from his home studio in Milton, near Boston. He committed to creating a small wood assemblage each day for a year. “I thought it would be a good way to change up how I was making things, new materials, work faster, etc.,” the artist notes, acknowledging the challenges of raising a teenage daughter during COVID while continuing his work. This practice promised to rekindle joy and playfulness in his process, and if one piece didn’t meet his expectations, he could simply start fresh the next day.
Initially, Hoar de Galvan did not intend to exhibit the pieces, focusing instead on intuition and exploring new directions. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to stick to the whole year and had no plan as to what to do with all the sculptures or how to show them all,” he admits.
He rarely sketched compositions before gluing and painting his sculptures from reclaimed wood scraps. Instead, he selected shapes or colors that caught his interest, allowing the process to evolve naturally. “There might be a feeling or impulse that pushes me in a general direction when starting a new one… I’m usually surprised along the way as they inevitably start dictating what they want to be,” he explains.
While a trip to Barcelona briefly interrupted his project, by the end of 2024, Hoar de Galvan had created 362 sculptures, just shy of the leap year total. It was only after ICA Boston curator Tessa Bachi Haas requested a studio visit that he considered showcasing his work. Subsequently, he was awarded the 2025 James and Audrey Foster Prize, which includes an exhibition at the museum.
The collection, titled I don’t think I’m ever gonna figure it out after an Elliot Smith song, was displayed on five long shelves. Collectively, the pieces showcased vibrant fragments of reclaimed wood arranged into pointed geometries, unique comb-like shapes that fit together like puzzles, and radial lines that radiate like starbursts.
Each sculpture, just a few inches tall, captures a moment in time, while collectively they represent a year of dedication and exploration. “Thinking back to the sculpture a day, I made so many that sometimes an idea would pop up, and I knew there wasn’t time to change what I was working on for that day, but I would try it at some other point. There were some invisible connections running through them all,” Hoar de Galvan reflects.
Currently, the artist is preparing for exhibitions at Tokyo’s Gallery Side2 and Gallery Naga, where he is represented. Follow his latest creations on Instagram.
