I have always been captivated by seeing the world as layers and parts. Separating and re-organizing the different components and levels of us, and everything around us. but particularly the structure of the human mind. What are its parts, its levels? How does it become dysfunctional or corrupted? My work attempts to capture different windows into the architecture of the human psyche and the moments violence and trauma which shape its construction. I seek to tell stories of our minds, their trauma and our bodies through images and sculptures within space. There exist an array of theories and methods used to dissect and understand the human psyche in its many layers. I attempt to explore this notion with my drawings by separating layers and symbols into formats, such as taxonomies or architecture, which create new structures, new stories and different lenses into our minds and our bodies. Within my sculptures I have begun to create and further play with these separations with markings, materials, shapes and spaces. Creating marked anthropomorphic forms in spaces and structures which present a window into our invisible history, our psychic trauma and our programming in some of their layers.
layers
anatomy
psyche
taxonomy
dysfunction
trauma
architecture of the mind
dissection
construction
Although I’ve been trying to give myself room to explore new things, the bulk of work that I’m making centers around taking an approach of dissection to, and telling stories about/exploring the architecture of the mind, trauma and our physical bodies through their layers, components or parts. My work can be considered formal in the context of the artworld, as I tell me stories and express my ideas through images and sculptures in a solitary process. I don’t usually work with others, my work isn’t about creating a social atmosphere, collectivity, performance, technology or taking a commercial approach. I try to find my own ways of creating drawings which are figurative but also have elements of abstraction to create overlays.
Field of Practice
Franzi: “There’s a lot going on in these drawings, with this house for example. But what is this house saying?”
Brody: “I wanted to use the building a mind, it shows the outside and what goes in, the pipes, exits and entrances. Different things come into it and it becomes distorted and grows as you change… then these expressive playful fleshy forms overlayed onto it, kind of a different imaginary world. And the latex sculptures in that room – that room could be inside this house.”
Franzi: “I definitely see more a house as a connection in some of your work now. But where does this interest in houses come from?”
Franzi: “Ah, theres indeed a lot of happenings in those places. But how do you step out of your drawings into these sculptures in spaces?”
Brody: “The house is also a place where something happened, it has a history. There was violence, trauma and families in its walls, and it contains something or holds something of that. I’ve always felt attracted to neglected or dilapidated buildings and spaces. When I was growing up in different places I was always drawn to them, they felt like places where something had happened and something could happen – a different kind of space where most people don’t want to go.”
Brody: “I felt like the room was in the photos of the three latex sculptures could be a room inside this house in the drawing. I’m try to find a way of stepping out of my drawings, or to get into my mind by stepping into my drawings and then stepping into an environment by making a scene and taking a photo. And showing a fragment of a moment suspended in time. I’d like to combine that. I guess there’s a lot of room to play inbetween those separate spaces in these images which I’d still like to explore.”
Franzi: “Ah I see… I think there is a possibility for me as the viewer to become a spectator in a sense of your thoughts. And think that’s quite cool. But what about the flesh thing that you mentioned?”
Brody: “I tried to make a slightly fleshy color and texture in these latex sculptures and marked and scratched them with tattoo needles. I tried to make these dirty and abused slabs of meat, or anthropomorphic shapes which were permanently marked with scratches and forms. They’re single forms, deflated and strewn around in this dirty space. Kind of like a family. I also put a lot of pink forms in my drawings before I made these, I guess that’s where the idea came from.”
Extracts from a conversation/interview with Franziska Mueller Schmidt (friend and artist)
Articles
Works in Progress
Practices
My choice of practices are autonomous and social practices. However, as I've said, my work doesn't fit well into social practices given its more formal nature so I very much lean towards following a path of autonomous practice.
Artists whose practices I feel a connection with, and inspire me:
Franziska Mueller Schmidt
Unknown name - artist known as Intuitive Practice
Ryan T. Riss
< Turn volume up high to hear the basement drip
Brody van Muijden
components
Laura Canha Malpique
*If the above link is not functional there here is the link to copy& paste:
https://www.e-flux.com/journal/113/359952/enjoy-your-security-on-kafka-s-the-burrow/
Graphic content in above video*