Dani Tull American, b. 1966
Dani Tull (b. 1966, Los Angeles, CA) is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Topanga Canyon, California. His practice spans painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, writing, and music.
Tull wields line as both gesture and optical force—sinuous, curving forms that lean, support, and negotiate space. His striated bands of color weave mystical symbolism with intuitive mark-making, transforming line into a meditative yet dynamic agent of balance and flux. Through this process-driven approach, Tull explores transformation, embodiment, and the unseen structures that shape perception.
Tull’s creative lineage is deeply rooted in California’s art and literary communities. Raised in a family of artists and writers, his grandparents were part of a pre-Beat generation of Bohemians, and his uncle, Neeli Cherkovski, is a celebrated Bay Area Beat poet. This early exposure to California’s avant-garde traditions continues to inform his sensibility and approach to art-making. While studying painting at the San Francisco Art Institute under Sam Tchakalian, Carlos Villa, and Bruce McGaw, he developed an early sensitivity to material and gesture. He went on to earn his MFA at Stanford University, studying with Nathan Oliveira and Frank Lobdell, where he deepened his engagement with abstraction and the expressive potential of paint.
Tull’s work has been widely exhibited in the United States and abroad, with notable solo exhibitions at Blum & Poe, The Pit, Kim Light Gallery, Jack Hanley Gallery, Fredericks & Freiser, Torch Gallery in Amsterdam, and Wewerka in Berlin. His work is held in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Getty, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Laguna Art Museum, and the Peter Norton Family Collection.
In addition to his studio practice, Tull has collaborated with artists such as Jim Shaw and Raymond Pettibon in cross-disciplinary and performative contexts. As a composer and performer, he has presented solo performances for SASSAS, West of Rome, and LAFMS. He is also the founder and director of ODD ARK LA and the Encina Artist Residency in Topanga Canyon, California.
EDUCATION
1990 Stanford University, M.F.A.
1988 San Francisco Art Institute, B.F.A.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
Slow Burners, The Pit II, Glendale, CA
2015
From Enchantment to Eschaton, LAM Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014
A. DISCORDIAN ACCORD, a project by Dani Tull, PØST, Los Angeles, CA
2011
Odd Arkeology, Post, Los Angeles, CA
2009
Gawdhead and the Cave Mind, Las Cienegas Projects, Los Angeles, CA
2008
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Mind, Part 2, Galerie Haus
Schneider Uschi Kolb, Karlsruhe, Germany
2006
Mersh and Myth, Angstrom Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Odd Arc, Four F Gallery, Chinatown / Los Angeles, CA
2004
Paradise Cove, Galerie Haus Schneider Uschi Kolb, Karlsruhe, Germany
2000
New Work, Galerie Haus Schneider, Karlsruhe, Germany
Color is a Popsong, Acuna-Hansen Gallery, Chinatown / Los Angeles, CA
1997
The Master Plan, Southern California, Galerie Haus Schnider, Karlsruhe, Germany
1996
The Master Plan, So. Cal., Jessica Fredericks Fine Art, New York, NY
Rejected Written Material (Tilted Arc), Gallery 16, San Francisco, CA
1995
Der Pumper Kinder: Noble Craft Work, Blum & Poe, Santa Monica, CA
1994
Der Pumper Kinder, Wewerka Galerie, Berlin, Germany
Neverland, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
1993
Eden, Kim Light Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Jack Hanley Gallery, San Francisco, CA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025
The Linear Edge, Pamela Walsh Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2018
Nerve Center, The Pit, Glendale, CA
2017
Pulped Fictions, Torrance Art Museum, Torrance, CA
2016
TRI(...ed)-Revisiting TRI Gallery, Wilding Cran Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Practice, Practice, Practice: Abstract Spirituality in Contemporary L.A. Painting, Sculpture, and Performance, Curated by Doug Harvey, Nan Rae Gallery at Woodbury University, CA
Memory Theater, Directed by Srijon Chowdhury, Upfor Gallery, Portland, OR
Werewolf, Curated by Nick Brown, Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015
ABSTRACTED VISIONS: INFORMATION MAPPING FROM MYSTIC DIAGRAMS TO DATA VISUALIZATIONS, Cerritos College Art Gallery, Cerritos, CA
Between two Worlds; Michael Bevilacqua, Matthew Ronay, Dean Sameshima and Dani Tull, Jacob Lewis Gallery, New York City, NY
Where the Sand Worm Slumbers, Curated by The Pit, Charlie James Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014
MUAVE (Michael Henry Hayden, Daniel Lane, Dani Tull), Secret Recipe, Los Angeles Ca
SNIFF THE SPACE FLAT ON YOUR FACE, Curated by Marcus Herse, Guggenheim Gallery, Chapman University, Los Angeles, CA
Vespers at the Epiphany, curated by Emi Fontana and Rita Gonzalez, The Church of the Epiphany, Los Angeles, CA
Exquisite Corpse, curated by Amir H. Fallah, MASS Gallery, Austin, TX
13 ESSENTIAL RULES FOR UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD, On Stellar Rays, New York City, NY
Sniff the Space Flat on Your Face, Guggenheim Gallery at Chapman University, Orange County, CA
My Blood Whispers to Me, curated by Annie Wharton, PØST in Los Angeles, CA
From Enchantment to Eschaton, a project by Dani Tull for Picnic Invitational, organized by Steven Bankhead, Los Angeles, CA
2013
Transmissions, Curated by Patricia Watts, Marin Community Foundation, Novato, CA
Tapping the Third Realm, Ben Maltz Gallery and Loyola Marymount University’s Laband Art, Los Angeles, CA
2012
Knowledges, Mt. Wilson Observatory, CA
2011
Chain Letter curated by Curated by Christian Cummings & Doug Harvey, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2010
Dark Entries, Galerie Anais, Santa Monica, CA
Ultrasonic V: It's Only Natural, Mark Moore Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2009
Instruments, SolwayJones, Los Angeles, CA
The Haunted House, Monte Vista Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Cosmos Factory, Cirrus Gallery, curated by Brad Eberhard, Los Angeles, CA
2008
Mel's Hole, curated by Doug Harvey, CSUF Grand Central Art Center, CA
Grand Central Art Center, Santa Ana, CA
Sterling Rainbow, Dani Tull, Tami Demaree, Steven Hull, Conduit Gallery, Dallas, TX
Some Paintings, The 2008 LA Weekly Annual Biennial curated by Doug Harvey, Track 16 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Cosmos Factory, Cirrus Gallery, curated by Brad Eberhard, Los Angeles, CA
LA Law, curated by Scott Cassidy, Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Luna-Luna, Curated by Steven Hull, Arena 1 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
The Art of War, Curated by Heather Harmon, Culver City, CA
These are the people in your Neighborhood, Gallery 16, San Francisco, CA
2007
Kim Light Gallery, The early 90’s, Lightbox, Los Angeles, CA
Nothing Moments, Steve Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
ONE FOOT HIGH AND RISING, Curated by Pentti Monkkonen, The Balmoral, Venice, CA
ApresGarde, curated by Anthony Ausgang, Gallery 1988, San Francisco, CA
2006
The Wonder and Horror of the Human Head, Organized by Meg Cranston, 4-F Gallery, Los Angeles CA –traveled to "The Wonder and Horror of the Human Head", Organized by Meg Cranston, Cubitt Gallery, London
many, many guys and girls, all real beauties, Curated by Julian Hoeber Circus of Books, Los Angeles, CA
Boat Show, High Energy Constructs, Los Angeles, CA
2005
Very Early Pictures, curated by Richard Torchia, Luckman Gallery, Cal State LA, Los Angeles, CA
Very Early Pictures, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
2003
Collaborative Lithographs with Raymond Pettibon, Hamilton Press Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2002
Necessary Fictions, De Chiara Gallery, New York, NY
Line Up, Lord Mori Gallery (aka The Happy Lion), Los Angeles, CA
2000
Keanabilia with Margaret Kean, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA
Under The Influence: New Art From L.A., Art Space, Kansas City Art Institute, Museum, Laguna Beach, CA
1998
(re) Mediation: The Digital in Contemporary American Printmaking, Contemporary Art Museum, Miami, FL
works on/off paper, ANP, Antwerp, Belgium
Richard Telles Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
1997
22nd International Biennial of Graphic Art, Ljubljana, Slovegnia
Angelus Novus, Galerie Oz, Paris, France
Angelus Novus, Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York, NY
The Bastards of Modernity, Angles Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1996
The Gallery, 22 Year Anniversary and History of Wewerka Gallery, Berlin, Germany
Left of Center, New Art from Los Angeles, Ten in One Gallery, Chicago, IL
Strappy Sandals and Skinny Belts, The Hyper Feminine Position in Painting, curated by Sue Spaid, Murray Feldman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1995
The Friendly Village, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design Milwaukee, WI
Glimpse of the Norton Collection as Revealed by Kim Dingle, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
Human/Nature, New Museum, New York, NY
The Moderns, Feature, New York, NY
1994
Bad Girls, curated by Marsha Tucker, New Museum, New York, NY
Green, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Romance, curated by Irit Krygier, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA
Ghostlimb, Basilico Fine Arts, New York, NY
Heaven Missing, Young Art LA, Jose Freire Fine Art, New York, NY
Christopher Grimes Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2015
Wallpaper* Magazine, Art patriarchs John Baldessari and Ed Ruscha pick out Los
Angeles' brightest creative talent, by Tibby Rothman, March issue
Dani Tull at LAM Gallery by By Hunter Drohojowska-Philp KCRW ART TALK “Dani Tull, From Enchantment to Eschaton” at LAM Gallery, by Suvan Geer February
2015
ArtScene “Hollywood Became L.A's Hottest Art District Overnight — Saturday Night, In Fact” By Catherine Wagley March 2, 2015, LA WEEKLY
2013
"TAPPING THE THIRD REALM”, Betty Brown, November, ArtScene
2012
An Interview With The Artist, Glasschord, Noah Post
ENDLESS COLUMNS OF OUTER SPACE, Vice Magazine, Liz Armstrong
2011
California Dreamin’, I.D. Magazine, William Olivier
2010
L.A. Weekly Critics’ Choices, Highlights from the fall season, LA WEEKLY, Doug Harvey
2008
Catherine Taft, Kim Light Gallery—Early 90s, Kim Light/LIGHTBOX, X-Tra, Volume 10 Number 4
2007
Dani Tull Interviewed by Jim Shaw, New York Arts Magazine, Nov.-Dec. Issue
2006
Harvey, Doug, “A Tull Life-The not-so-lost decade”, LA WEEKLY, April 26, 2006
Gray, Emma, “L.A. CONFIDENTIAL”, Artnet, Aug. 21, 2006
2005
Harvey, Doug, “Premature Exhibitionism”. LA WEEKLY, June 9, 2005
2000
Miles, Christopher,“It’s ChinaTown, Jake” Flaunt Magazine
UNDER THE INFLUENCE - Young artists celebrate L.A.'s contrived culture, ALICE THORSON, The Kansas City StarDate: 10/21/00
1997
Kandel, Susan, "One Liner Parody", Los Angeles Times, April 4th
Turner, Grady, Dani Tull at Jessica Fredericks Gallery, Art in America, March Issue
Kandel, Susan, "Modernist Montage", Los Angeles Times, February 7
Hainley, Bruce, "Bastards of Modernity", Art Forum, March Issue
1996
Servetar, Stuart, Dani Tull, "The Master Plan: Southern California" Time Out New York, October 3-10 1996
Rugoff, Ralph, "Crate Expectations", LA Weekly, January 12 -18, 1996, p.39
1995
Baker, Kenneth, San Francisco Chronicle, December 21, 1995
Walker, Hamza, Scarborogh, James, Killam, Brad, Hixson, Kathryn, Grabner,
Michelle, "The Friendly Village", Art Muscle, October/November 1995, p. 13-22
1994
Hess, Elizabeth, “And Everything Nice?” The Village Voice, February 1, 1994, Vol. XXXIX, No. 5, p. 83
Galleries USA, Flash Art, Vol. XXVII, No. 174, January/February 1994, p. 55
1993
Barrie, Lita "A Forest of Toys: The Post-Appropriation Object in Southern California", Visions, Winter 1993, p. 23 - 24
Braff, Phyllis, “All the World‚s a Stage”, The New York Times, August 1, 1993
Colpitt, Frances, “Dani Tull at Kim Light Gallery”, Art in America, November 1993, p. 136
Scarborough, James, "Bright Site Technocolor: The Future That Never Was at
Christopher Grimes Gallery" Artweek, May 6, 1993, p. 24-25
Scarborough, James, "actualities a Los Angeles", ArtPress, July, 1993
Smith, Roberta, „Nine Visitors from California, New York Times, September 10, 1993, pg. C26
Tumlir, Jan, “Eden- Dani Tull at Kim Light Gallery”, Picturebook, November 1993, No. 4, p. 12, 17, 18
SELECTED PERFORMANCES AND DISCOGRAPHY
2017
THE BOX BOX, Los Angeles Free Music Society, LAFMS
2016
Naima Trailer, 6 evenings of improvised performances set inside Naima Trailer by Debbie Long, Pico Studios, Los Angeles
2013
SASSAS Blast! Solo performances
Various LAFMS performances (Airway)
2011
F for ACHE, Fauxmish, Limited Edition 100, collaborative collage by Marnie Weber, Dani Tull and Doug Harvey
2009
Original film score for Jim Shaw
“The Whole: A Study in Oist Integrated Movement”
“A TONE MENT FOR YOUR EARS”, performance with Jim Shaw, Turin Italy
Sassas, Blast 6, with Jim Shaw, Los Angeles
2007
Sound performance of Jim Shaw instruments, Metro Pictures booth for Art Basel Miami
“Into the Vacuum - Sacred Oist Music”, Jim Shaw performance at The Hammer Museum, (co-director and performer)
