Stephen Brandes b. 1966
Stephen Brandes’ practice explores both word and visual language as vehicles for storytelling, with particular reference to travel fiction and European traditions of absurdism and satire.
For several years he embarked on a series of very large, highly detailed drawings on floor vinyl, which charted a perpetually expanding fictional universe – the genesis of which was a journey through contemporary Eastern and central Europe, following a route his grandmother had made in 1913, escaping pogroms in Romania.
More recently, he commenced a body of work which not only includes drawing and painting, but monumental posters, signage, collage, printed publications and animated slideshows.
THE UNDERLYING THEME OF THIS WORK CONSIDERS THE LEGACIES OF EUROPEAN HISTORY, BY VIEWING HUMAN ENDEAVOR WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE AND THE CONSTRUCTED WORLD FROM OBLIQUE CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES. IT IS FUELED BY AN INTEREST IN HOW VISUAL AND PICTORIAL LANGUAGES FROM THE RECENT PAST HAVE BEEN ADOPTED WITHIN PARTICULAR SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, FROM THE AVANT-GARDES AND TOTALITARIAN AESTHETICS OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY TO THE GRAPHIC SENSIBILITIES OF MORE RECENT YEARS. THESE ARE OFTEN PUT INTO CONFLICT WITH THE SUBJECT MATTER: THE LANDSCAPES, THE MONUMENTS AND ARCHITECTURE THAT HAVE EVOLVED THROUGHOUT EUROPE OVER THE PAST 400 YEARS.
HIS RE-ENGAGEMENT WITH THIS MATERIAL IS NOT OUT OF NOSTALGIA, BUT RATHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF MISAPPROPRIATION, IN ORDER TO REINVEST FRESH MEANING TO THESE SUBJECTS. THE CHALLENGE IS TO CREATE OBJECTS AND IMAGES THAT PRESENT ALTERNATIVE VIEWS TO COMMONLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS OF BEAUTY AND AUTHORITY. IT ALSO ATTEMPTS TO CONSIDER OUR SHARED HISTORIES AND FUTURE WITH A MEASURED MIXTURE OF POIGNANCY AND HUMOUR.
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Stephen BrandesWest Lothian Bings, 2018Acrylic on Linen35 x 46 cm
13 3/4 x 18 1/8 inSigned, titled and dated on reverse -
Stephen BrandesEx Termite, 2020Inkjet Print on paper42 x 59.4 cm
16 1/2 x 23 3/8 inEdition of 50 plus 4 artist's proofsSigned and numbered by the Artist on reverseStephen Brandes, Ex Termite, 2020£ 90.00 -
Stephen BrandesFestival of Pests, 2020Inkjet Print on paper42 x 59.4 cm
16 1/2 x 23 3/8 inEdition of 50Signed and numbered by the Artist on reverseStephen Brandes, Festival of Pests, 2020£ 90.00 -
Stephen BrandesAnother Failed Exorcism, 2020Inkjet on paper42 x 59.4 cmEdition of 50 plus 4 artist's proofsSigned, dated and numbered by the Artist on reverseStephen Brandes, Another Failed Exorcism, 2020£ 90.00
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Stephen BrandesGrandchild of '68, 2020Inkjet on paper42 x 59.4 cmEdition of 50 plus 4 artist's proofsSigned, dated and numbered by the Artist on reverseStephen Brandes, Grandchild of '68, 2020£ 90.00
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Stephen BrandesGolf Brothel, 2020Inkjet print on paper42 x 59.4 cm
16 1/2 x 23 3/8 inEdition of 50 plus 4 artist's proofsSigned and numbered by the Artist on reverseStephen Brandes, Golf Brothel, 2020£ 90.00 -
Stephen BrandesHis & Hers, 2020Inkjet on paper42 x 59.4 cmEdition of 50 plus 4 artist's proofsSigned, dated and numbered by the Artist on reverseStephen Brandes, His & Hers, 2020£ 90.00
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Stephen BrandesHeron, 2020Acrylic on canvas41 x 30`cm
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Stephen BrandesThe Todnauberg Puppet Set, 2020Acrylic on canvas70 x 80 cm
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Stephen Brandes(Eww) Piraeus, 2019Analogue and digital collage printed on vinyl banner, mirror-screws145 x 90 cmEdition of 3Signed, titled and dated on reverseStephen Brandes, (Eww) Piraeus, 2019£ 750.00
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Stephen Brandes(f) Pedeion Athens, 2019Analogue and digital collage printed on vinyl banner, mirror-screws145 x 90 cmEdition of 3Signed, titled and dated on reverseStephen Brandes, (f) Pedeion Athens, 2019£ 750.00
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Stephen BrandesSt Joan and Ernst Apple, 2019Analogue and digital collage printed on vinyl banner, mirror-screws145 x 90 cmEdition of 3Signed, titled and dated on reverseStephen Brandes, St Joan and Ernst Apple, 2019£ 750.00
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Stephen BrandesApril 22ndAcrylic and marker on vinyl193 x 373 cmSigned, titled and dated on reverse
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Stephen BrandesBeer Mat, 2020Acrylic on Linen40 x 64 cm
15 3/4 x 25 1/4 inSigned, titled and dated on reverse -
Stephen BrandesLandscape (after Helena Mandlova), 2018collage21.8 x 27.8 cmSigned, titled and dated on reverse
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Stephen BrandesNon Sequitur (Blind Red Jay/Composition in Black and Pink), 2019Ink and Gouache on 1940's copybook paper (Diptych)27 x 21 cm and 28.5 x 21 cmSigned, titled and dated on reverse
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Stephen BrandesNon-Sequitur (Black Pentagon/One of Us.), 2019Gouache and collage on 1940's office paper, (Diptych)24 x 21.5 and 21 x 29 cmSigned, titled and dated on reverse
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Stephen BrandesParc du Souvenir, 2016Acrylic and marker on vinyl236.5 x 317.5 cmSigned, titled and dated on reverse
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Stephen BrandesPlace des Grands Abysses, 2018-2020Ink, acrylic and permanent marker on vinyl212 x 271 cm
83 1/2 x 106 3/4 inSigned, titled and dated on reverse -
Stephen BrandesWelcome to John Lennon International Airport, 2008Acrylic and coloured pencil on canvas32.5 x 44 cmSigned, titled and dated on reverse
artist Stephen Brandes moved to Ireland in 1993. He completed an MA at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin in 2002. His work explores the interplay of word and visual language as a vehicle for storytelling, with particular reference to travel fiction, absurdism and satire. Brandes represented Ireland at the Venice Biennale 2005 and has shown in numerous exhibitions nationally and internationally. He now lives and works in Cork.
Brandes has also worked on several curatorial projects, most notably Superbia, commissioned by Breaking Ground in Ballymun, Dublin, 2003 and "Beasts of England, Beasts of Ireland" at Visual, Carlow, 2013. With artists Mick O’Shea and Irene Murphy, he formed the absurdist culinary performance group, the Domestic Godless.
A short bibliography
Klutz Paradiso
Published by the Royal Hibernian Academy Gallery, Dublin, 2006
Contributors: Sarah Glennie, Barry Schwabsky
Design: Atelier David Smith, Dublin
ISBN 1-903875-31-5 0
The Last Travelogue of Joseph M. Published by Travelogue Art Zine, Berlin, 2010Edition 1:200 Copies ISSN 1873-6863
Creative Ireland: The Visual Arts
[Contemporary Visual Art in Ireland 2000 – 2011]
curated/edited by Noel Kelly & Seán Kissane, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-907683-11-4
100 Irish Artists,
100 Colour Plates,
6 Commentaries from respected writers such as: Medb Ruane, Colin Graham, Valerie Connor, Fiona Kearney, Brian Hand and Noel Kelly
The Hellfire Club Published by Askeaton Contemporary Arts, 2012 Exhibition catalogue with texts by Michele Horrigan,Padraic E. Moore and Brian O'Doherty. 48 pages, 19 colour images, 32 b/w images. ISBN: 978-0-9558630-5-9
Ireland at Venice 2005 Sarah Glennie Published by the Lewis Glucksman Gallery, Cork, 2005Published on the occasion of Ireland at Venice 2005 51st Venice Biennale ISBN: 0-9502440-6-6
Dictionary of Living Irish Artists Robert O'Byrne Published by Plurabelle 2012 ISBN: 978-0-9563011-0-9