Lobsang Durney
Lobsang Durney takes an ordinary object — an alarm clock, a teapot, a rotary telephone, a pair of sneakers — and enlarges it until people can live inside. He calls the method placing everyday elements "on a larger plane, one that generates human habitability." A Mercedes bus becomes a hillside neighborhood on stilts. A steam locomotive becomes a village. A lighthouse is also a faucet, because grifo and faro fit together.
He qualified as an architect before he was a painter, and it shows in the way in. However impossible the structure, there are stairs — treads, landings, scaffolding in violet, a door you could reach. The material is corrugated tin, curved and folded and stacked, which is what Valparaíso is actually built from. He calls this valporizing: loading whatever he takes possession of with the identity of his home city.
The ground beneath is often ruined — rubble, open sea, a field of skulls. The thing standing on it is candy-bright and full of people, with laundry hung out and the lights on. "I think it is a mistake not to look for beauty in art," he has said, "although it may sound retrograde to many contemporary artists."
In 2013 he took the jury's special prize at the Salón de Viña del Mar, Chile's national painting competition. His work has been shown at the Palacio Vergara in Viña del Mar, at the Musée du Mécanic Art in France, and twice at the Universidad de Valparaíso's Sala El Farol.
Read more about Lobsang — the architect who builds cities out of clocks.
About Our Fine Art Prints
Canvas Print
We use the highest quality fine art canvas, hand stretched onto heavy wood stretcher bars. Matte UV protective varnish protects your canvas print, makes it easy to clean, increases the color longevity & archivability. Our hand built ¾” stretcher bars come standard, however we also offer 1.5” and 2” depths.
HD Metal Print
We offer only the absolute highest quality metal prints. Made by infusing dyes directly into aluminum, HD Metal Prints are a modernway to display your art. HD Metal prints have a beautiful vibrancy and luminosity. They are lightweight, durable, easy to clean and can be displayed without framing or placing behind glass.
HD Metal Print Sample:
Canvas Print Sample, Gallery Wrap:
Canvas Print Sample, with a Maple Frame:
Frequently Asked Questions:
| Is this artwork original? | How is it framed? |
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Check the "Technique" field above: Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, or Fabric — a unique, one-of-a-kind original, delivered to us directly by the artist and framed in California. Handmade Woodblock Print, Silkscreen, Etching, or Lithograph — an original print. The artist carved or cut the matrix and pulled each impression by hand; there is no painting it was copied from. Each is signed and numbered by the artist within a limited edition. Fine Art Print, Giclée, Canvas Print, or Metal Print — a high-quality, museum-grade reproduction of an original work fabricated here in San Francisco. |
Check the "Framing" field above for this piece. The design is our own — museum-grade, archival, and always real wood, never veneer or composite. The species suits the work — cherry, ash, maple, oak, poplar, or hinoki cypress. Chosen per artist, not to a house style. Where it's made — Kuriyagawa's and Namiki's frames are made in Japan. Everything else is framed in the United States, from hardwood milled by a third-generation family workshop that supplies exhibition frames to museums. Every piece arrives ready to hang, with hardware and a level included. |
| Can you help me visualize the artwork? | How do I buy an artwork I like? |
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Send us a photo of your wall and we'll place the artwork into it, to scale, so you can see exactly how it looks in your room. No charge, no obligation. Want to see more? We'll send a video of the piece from every angle. Email us — or see examples on our YouTube channel. |
Add to Cart and check out securely on the site. We take credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Shop Pay. Or just email us. We'll answer any questions and send an invoice — no account needed. |
| Can you help me install the artwork? | What's your return policy? |
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In the SF Bay Area — yes, in person. We'll deliver and hang it for you, free of charge. Just ask. Anywhere else — every package includes what you need: hanging hardware, a level, and a microfiber cloth. Everything arrives ready to hang. |
30 days, no questions asked — on original paintings and on original prints. Return it in its original condition and we'll issue a full refund, less return shipping. The one exception — fine art prints and giclées are made to order for you, so those sales are final. |
| Do you ship internationally? | How long will my order take? |
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Yes, worldwide. We've shipped to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Germany and the UK, all delivered without incident. Typical cost is $60–$140 via UPS, with delivery in about two weeks. Rates are calculated at checkout. Any duties or import taxes are paid by the customer on delivery. Not sure? Email us for an estimate before you order. |
In stock — ships in 1–3 business days. Then 2–3 days to arrive on the West Coast, 5–7 days elsewhere in the US. Made to order — about two weeks. Fine art prints and giclées are printed for you, so allow 10–14 days before shipping. Everything goes UPS, tracked. You'll get a tracking number when it leaves us. |
