2-page spread 03/02/2010

Mark Bradford-Artist in Review

Mark Bradford is an artist residing in Los Angeles California that graduated from Cal-Arts. He does most of his work in the practice of collage work. What makes his work unique is the use of adding and subtracting certain materials to give his work a distinction from the orthodox perception of traditional collage work. An extensive use of calligraphy within his work creates a different outlook altogether. He gains his inspiration from previous writings provided by well known artists in the past. Amongst his use of collage, he also incoporates the use of random merchant posters which also gives a new perception of advertising in general, giving it true artistic value. His intentions were to implement the societal view of political views on race, politics, and religion by showing video clips of the Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Los Angeles and how it was overly patrolled by police officers versus the video clip of the Muslim-only market in Egypt. His work is often detailed, labor intensive because he feels as if it provokes hidden ideas. He also created a video of him playing basketball wearing an antebellum skirt to make it harder to make a basket, which was also a metaphor for the racial, political, and economical barriers that some individuals may have.