Daniel Shapiro (1920–1982) was a painter, printmaker and educator whose experimental practice incorporated collage, assemblage and unconventional materials. Born in New York City, Shapiro studied at Cooper Union, graduating in 1941, and later attended Columbia University. His early experience in graphic design and printmaking informed a lifelong interest in process, texture and the possibilities of combining materials. Shapiro joined UC Davis in 1959, initially appointed through Home Economics before transferring to Fine Arts. As the developing department’s printmaker, he became part of the first generation of faculty assembled by founding chair Richard Nelson. During more than two decades at Davis, Shapiro experimented across media and influenced generations of students. His monumental Black Assemblage (1965), installed in UC Davis’ Shields Library, exemplifies his expansive approach, incorporating fabric, lace, rope and fragments of everyday objects into a heavily textured sculptural environment. The Manetti Shrem Museum brought renewed attention to his work in Out Our Way (2016–17), its inaugural exhibition exploring the artists who established UC Davis as an important center for experimental art.