A Gravitating Conversation with Brandon Deener
Courtesy the artist and Gallery Without Walls
Brandon Deener (born in Memphis, Tennessee, 1982) has had solo exhibitions at Simchowitz Gallery, LA; Jac Forbes Gallery, LA; A Hug from the Artworld, NY; and Gallery One, Fort Lauderdale, among other venues. His paintings have been written about in publications including The Guardian, Artlyst, Culture Is Free, Sugarcane, and Art of Choice. Deener’s artworks are included in museums and institutions such as Amorepacific Corporation, The Hall Foundation, The Crocker Art Museum, The Fairfield University Art Museum, and in the personal collections of Carmelo Anthony, Ingrid Best, Hebru Brantley, Jaha Johnson, Bruno Mars, Ayesha Selden, and Usher.
I had the pleasure of asking Brandon about his most recent exhibition, how art has been therapeutic to him, and so much more.
UZOMAH: Your use of vibrant colors—which range from bright pinks to mint greens—in your paintings creates a powerful emotional impact. Can you share how color influences your work and the feelings or narratives you aim to convey through your color choices?
BRANDON: For me, my understanding of color came a little later in my practice. Whereas initially, I focused more on photorealism as a whole, color was secondary to me. After a few conversations about the significance of color with my former dealer, I then started thinking about fashion as it pertains to color. This thinking improved my color choices greatly. I became very strategic about which color to put where. What compliments the best, which shades should I consider for a great monochrome effect, etc. I learned to love and understand the importance of great color choices. Then, my palette started feeling better as my usage of color strengthened.
U: The title of your exhibition, "Resonance," highlights the connection between music and art, with many paintings depicting musicians. How does jazz, specifically artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, inform your creative process and the themes present in your artwork?
B: I entered a period of refinement during my first major gallery representation. Hyperrealism and Photorealism were all that interested me. Through many conversations before and around this time, I became curious of how my paintings would look if I painted from memory or without a reference photo. Immediately, I noticed a different type of freedom painting this way. More expressionistic and less about precision. It changed everything about my approach. Almost like a freeing feeling of having to be perfect via realism, it was liberating to make a whole new thing from thin air uninspired of a reference. Jazz!!! It felt like Jazz in the way that a band can all come together as one, pulling notes from the ethos that all mesh together to create a masterpiece right there on the spot. Improvisation Jazz to be exact!!! There’s a magic in trusting the unknown enough to journey there. There’s a magic in having the courage to go with the flow! Listening to the very genre that informs my work plays a significant role in its conception.
U: You follow in the footsteps of influential contemporary artists like Amy Sherald and Barkley Hendricks, who have situated the Black figure under a new lens. How do you view your role within the legacy of Black figurative painting, and what messages do you hope to communicate through your contributions?
B: My role is to be a truth teller, an artist devoted to documenting life around me. Black Cool is a concept that I’m perpetually interested in weaving into my work. Part of this artistic documentation is to capture the style, beauty, and grace that Black People exude effortlessly in as many ways as I can think of.
U: You identify as an Afrofuturist artist. Can you share your personal definition of Afrofuturism and how it shapes your artistic vision, particularly in the context of Black identity and the future?
B: I’m driven to Afrofuturism mostly because of its mysticism. What is it exactly? Seeing black folks thriving now and into the future is an ideal that quickly becomes a reality in my work. Afrofuturism is a timeless concept. It feels huge, like a big grand idea that I want to continue to push and further add to. One of my favorite works is my car paintings, which are more like spaceships than cars that don’t have wheels. They just hover like the vehicles in Star Wars. Except they’re driven by black people and look like old-school cars from the 60s and 70s, with technology that allows them to float over the roads and park mid-air. Big concept!!! Timeless!!!
U: Your paintings often include elements of nostalgia and personal history. Can you discuss how your upbringing in Memphis and your family background influence the subjects and themes you depict in your work?
B: Memphis is more of a music city than Art, with most of its heritage entrenched in Music. I sadly didn’t grow up around much Art. I think that directly played a role in my being raptured into the fine arts!!! Now I think of creative ways to implement Memphis into my work, its vast culture, the beautiful people!! It’s a storied city that has its own swagger and feels like no other.
U: The horn-blowing motif in your paintings serves as a “wake-up call” for social consciousness. What significance do you attribute to this imagery, and how do you hope it resonates with your audience in terms of social and political awareness?
B: I’m not political, nor am I a reactionary artist. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that there are injustices happening all around the world. Right here in America, everywhere! The more horns I painted, the more they made me think about the blowing of a horn as a metaphor for what’s going on in the world!! Immediately after this, the thought came to my painting “The Artistocrat of Bands”! - A painting that features a marching band with all the horns tooted up in the air, bells forward by the dozens. That call to consciousness became more urgent in that work! That’s the beauty of making a show. It’s like making an album. You might experience something mid-album that shifts the sound of the music.
U: In your piece "Statuesque," you explore themes of pride and dignity. How do you approach the depiction of your subjects to reflect a future-oriented vision for the Black community, and what do you hope viewers take away from this representation?
B: With “Statuesque,” the figure appears to be in the same setting as my “Sketches of Miles” painting. They were placed across from one another in the gallery. While the Miles Davis reference photo could be set in the ‘60s, “Statuesque” features a figure that could be of the future. There’s an indirect play on timelessness between the two works. She’s painted in my classic Long-Neck aesthetic, which is a metaphor for holding your head high and looking towards the future, faith. The work has the strength & presence of an African statue that’s been a constant source of inspiration for many of the greats and icons in this space. It’s a powerful work.
U: Your journey from a music producer to a visual artist is inspiring. Can you share how your experiences in the music industry shaped your approach to art and what insights you’ve gained about creativity and self-expression along the way?
B: The Music Industry itself did nothing for my artistry. Art served as a means of reinvention. I was able to use what I’ve learned in making music as a way of understanding Art. My approach to music production is building a beat and sound selection; I break it down into textures. How will each sound work together? Will they work together? I was born with an ear for music and can play by ear. I also have an eye for art. I can see in detail and capture light. If I hear “Fur Elise” or “In A Sentimental Mood,” I can play exactly what I hear on a piano by just tapping on the keys and matching the notes. What a superpower!!
U: What’s next for you?
B: I have a new Electronic House album coming titled “Drumb House Vol. 1.” I’ve never released anything like this before. It’s a Masterclass in drum sonic’s. I also have three more Hip-Hop albums coming, two with my duo Stooky Bros.® and another solo album by me Deener. Lastly, I am exploring new territory with my art.
Brandon’s artwork and musical updates can be found on Instagram here. The magazine also featured his most current exhibition, Resonance, and can be found here.
