We recently got a few images of Brad Robson’s new mural in Los Angeles featuring portraits of renowned actors like Charlie Chaplin, Cate Blanchett, Morgan Freeman and Elisabeth Taylor, painted for Vintage Los Feliz Theatre located on 1822 N Vermont Ave Los Angeles.
Born in Sydney, Australia, Brad Robson is a self-taught artist that started on a graphic designer trek when he was only, developing his own style as he completed his studies.
Known for his realistic portraiture characterised by interesting expressionistic tendencies, Robson’s work is inspired by subjects like the urban landscape, hidden human psyche and pop-culture. Emotive portraits and vibrant cityscapes that evoke snapshots of a moment in time, a thought on what it means to be present. According to Robson, his work – for the most expressionist in execution – intends to explore the impermanent nature of human existence where nothing stays the same.
“I’m caught in a perpetual need to connect to all stimuli outside of myself, that of which is in a continual flux. It’s like we are all expecting it all to stop so we can make our final judgements. Then we realise that this will never happen.”
For him art should be intuitive and part of an unrestrictive process where the artwork takes over and begins and ends creating itself. His portraits blur the lines between figuration and abstraction. Faces loose their recognisable identities and become abstracted; transmitting a universal message with which viewers can identify.
The last murals seem to differ somehow from this rule, and the rest of his work, but they stand as a testimony of Robson’s singular talent for portraiture, a talent that is currently visible in the works exhibited at Woodward Gallery.
If you happen to be around you can have a look at Brad Robson’s work at Woodward Gallery where they are currently being exhibited in their new space on Eldridge Street until the 19th of May. Below a few of them.
About The Artist
Based out of Sydney, Australia, Brad Robson is a painter and muralist who divides his time working out of his studio in Marrickville and participating in residencies and exhibitions in Europe and the United States.
From humble beginnings on Australia’s east coast, Robson began illustrating for a surf brand at the age of 19. Spending most of his twenties playing in bands and experimenting in graphic art, Robson was compelled to develop a greater understanding of the visual elements of his creative production. Today is represented by Woodward Gallery in New York City.
Among his most recent projects we found a 14 metre-high portrait in a rural district of Barcelona, illustrations in the upcoming Australian feature film, The School, a massive commissioned mural on the exterior wall of Vintage Los Feliz Theatre in Los Angeles (featured), and a three-piece painted series on display in the windows of Woodward Gallery.
