Mark Bradford
Mark Bradford
Mark Bradfordis an American artist living and working in Los Angeles...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionArtist
CountryUnited States of America
figure life organic whatever work
Life, work - it's all very organic and fluid, a laboratory. I always tell people: whatever your thing is, you just have to be in it. Jump in; you'll figure it out.
decide society telling work
At the end of the day, I'm an artist. I may make work and decide to do something political, but it will come out of an artist's position. It won't come out of society telling me I have to. If I do, it's because I choose, as an artist, to do it.
amazed central constantly los pattern south studio work
In the neighborhood where my studio is, in South Central Los Angeles, there are a lot of immigrant-owned businesses. I'm constantly amazed at the level of work they do. It's above anything. For me, I think I pattern myself on that work ethic.
act along hair hear history popular pull salon three voices work
That's how I make work. Along the way, I take notes, I read about history and popular culture. Sometimes I act out things in the studio. I go back to my mother's hair salon so I can hear three voices going all at once. I pull inspiration from everything.
guard
I can go to my own opening, and the security guard will tell me that I have to go to the security entrance.
borders economic los north south west
The freeways create economic and racial borders in Los Angeles. South of Interstate 10 is one group of people, west of the 10 another, and south of the 405 North yet another.
buildings buying mentor whatever
I just like artist-driven projects, but for artists themselves: artist spaces, artist mentor programs, and artists buying buildings and making lofts. Doing whatever we can do. Because at the end of the day, I really think that we as a community only have each other.
time wonder
About the time I was 7, I got really into black-exploitation films, so I made my own Wonder Woman, but I made her black.
underlying
Everything I do has an underlying political question.
fatigue fire major obviously trained
This is what we are trained for. We are trained to go into fire combat. When it comes to back-to-back major incidents, obviously there is a fatigue factor.
brought free mom
My mom was a free spirit, and she brought me up to be a free spirit.
defensive everybody great jessica played sure
Bergh played a great defensive game, she's all over the place. Jessica makes sure everybody is in the right place.
home
If Home Depot doesn't have it, Mark Bradford doesn't need it.
depends hop insecure life piece
I'm kind of an insecure artist. I hop from piece to piece. I always think my life depends on every painting. Every painting is my first painting.