Self-portrait, Brandt Eisner

3 Questions: Artist & Curator in Conversation

1. Describe your working process as an artist.   

My art making process is very intuitive. Often the materials I stumble across inspire my work.  

2. What was your source of inspiration for your work in the exhibition? How did the act of art-making help you in reflecting on/responding to the pandemic as an artist?  

Throughout Covid19 I was part of an online art group which provided weekly themes to inspire work based on the pandemic. This piece came out of one of those challenges. Reflecting on how human contact is both needed but can also be dangerous I realized that as independent as I am, and not always comfortable with touch, that even I found myself missing hugs from friends. Creating this work kept me present and productive but also helped process the complex feelings and reality of being frustrated about the fact that we as humans enabled something like this to happen through our careless nature and disregard for the balance our planet requires to be healthy.  

3. How do you think visual art helps us understand the complex world around us? 

I believe as artists our work is a way to communicate when words don’t seem to cut it. When I stumble to be clear my work often cuts to the chase, often in a tongue and cheek way that makes it approachable.