Bradley Theodore (American, b.1978) Entering the garden
signed and dated 'B Theodore/2017' (lower right) acrylic on canvas Unframed: 101.5 x 76 cm. (40 x 29 7/8 in.) Framed: 107.5 x 82.1 cm. (42 1/4 x 32 1/4 in.) Please note this work is accompanied with a Certificate of AuthenticityProvenance: With Maddox Gallery, London, October 2017, where purchased by the present ownerNotes: “My work is about looking deeper into individuals, which allows you to look deeper into yourself” - Bradley Theodore Blending the worlds of high fashion and street art, Bradley Theodore has carved out a unique space as a contemporary visual artist. The Turks and Caicos-born, NYC-based creator channels his early experience with graffiti and graphic design into dynamic, instantly recognisable pieces. He is now based in New York City and worked in the tech and digital design sector before transitioning to fine art, bringing a unique, graphic sensibility to his paintings and murals. Bradley Theodore’s artistic process is as unconventional as his path to becoming a painter. He decided to pivot to fine art around 2010. He is remarkably self-taught and spent two years studying documentaries on successful artists and practising brushstroke techniques. Today, his works can be found around the world: on the streets of Tokyo, Paris and Milan and in exhibitions in New York and London. Theodore’s process is incredibly unique. While most artists start a painting with a blank white canvas, Theodore begins with a black one. He inverts the artistic tradition of painting on white. His paintings are as much about pop culture as they are about the universality of colour. Instead of the stark white and grey typically associated with bones, Theodore uses thick, saturated brushstrokes of neon, turquoise, pink, and red. These colours are heavily inspired by the vibrant environment of his childhood in the Turks and Caicos Islands. He refers to his process of painting these bright skulls as "an act of living," using colour to express emotion, memory, and energy rather than decay. The role ‘celebrity’ and ‘icon’ are such an important part of his oeuvre, and he often features well-known subjects from Marie Antoinette to Bob Marley. Despite the fact they portrayed in skull-like forms, they are still iconically recognisable, from Anna Wintour’s angular bob to Karl Lagerfeld white ponytail. He weaves fashion, celebrity, colour, and anatomy together to explore what remains of a person once you strip away their physical exterior. Instead of using skulls as morbid symbols of death, he uses them as vibrant celebrations of life and identity.
[ translate ]signed and dated 'B Theodore/2017' (lower right) acrylic on canvas Unframed: 101.5 x 76 cm. (40 x 29 7/8 in.) Framed: 107.5 x 82.1 cm. (42 1/4 x 32 1/4 in.) Please note this work is accompanied with a Certificate of AuthenticityProvenance: With Maddox Gallery, London, October 2017, where purchased by the present ownerNotes: “My work is about looking deeper into individuals, which allows you to look deeper into yourself” - Bradley Theodore Blending the worlds of high fashion and street art, Bradley Theodore has carved out a unique space as a contemporary visual artist. The Turks and Caicos-born, NYC-based creator channels his early experience with graffiti and graphic design into dynamic, instantly recognisable pieces. He is now based in New York City and worked in the tech and digital design sector before transitioning to fine art, bringing a unique, graphic sensibility to his paintings and murals. Bradley Theodore’s artistic process is as unconventional as his path to becoming a painter. He decided to pivot to fine art around 2010. He is remarkably self-taught and spent two years studying documentaries on successful artists and practising brushstroke techniques. Today, his works can be found around the world: on the streets of Tokyo, Paris and Milan and in exhibitions in New York and London. Theodore’s process is incredibly unique. While most artists start a painting with a blank white canvas, Theodore begins with a black one. He inverts the artistic tradition of painting on white. His paintings are as much about pop culture as they are about the universality of colour. Instead of the stark white and grey typically associated with bones, Theodore uses thick, saturated brushstrokes of neon, turquoise, pink, and red. These colours are heavily inspired by the vibrant environment of his childhood in the Turks and Caicos Islands. He refers to his process of painting these bright skulls as "an act of living," using colour to express emotion, memory, and energy rather than decay. The role ‘celebrity’ and ‘icon’ are such an important part of his oeuvre, and he often features well-known subjects from Marie Antoinette to Bob Marley. Despite the fact they portrayed in skull-like forms, they are still iconically recognisable, from Anna Wintour’s angular bob to Karl Lagerfeld white ponytail. He weaves fashion, celebrity, colour, and anatomy together to explore what remains of a person once you strip away their physical exterior. Instead of using skulls as morbid symbols of death, he uses them as vibrant celebrations of life and identity.
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