"Revealing the Unseen: Exploring the Invisible Dimensions of Existence Through the series Interplay, Enmeshment, and Matter"
These works delve into the intricate dance between change and stasis, offering a profound exploration of the paradoxical relationship humans share with nature. The series illuminates the contrast between our inherent connection to the natural world and our simultaneous inclination to distance ourselves from it—wrestling with our ability to pay homage to nature's beauty while, at times, unwittingly participating in its destruction. The onset of the Covid-19 virus has laid bare the undeniable interdependence of man and nature, a truth often denied by our decisions and actions.
Photography gives us the ability to make what was previously invisible, visible to the viewer. In this series, I'm working to uncover those hidden qualities in the photographs I work with. Where do we go with the tension of imagery—what is happening within the image?"
The creation process is a meticulous journey. Large-scale black and white or color photographs serve as the foundation, their surfaces subjected to the rhythmic scrape of razor blades. This act of erasure, both repetitive and violent, serves as a symbolic representation of the profound impact humans exert on nature—a powerful aesthetic and social statement. The resulting images bear the scars of this process—ink dust, cuts, blood drops, and holes, deleting some of the distinct elements. Following this intentional destruction, I rephotograph the damaged prints with a medium format camera.
Yet, this destruction is not an end but a transformative beginning. Traditional and digital tools come into play, allowing for the recoloring, enhancement, and reorganization of the image. From the deconstruction of the old arises a new final piece, a testament to the resilience and potential for renewal inherent in the face of destruction. In an art installation setup, the images are accompanied by a carefully crafted soundtrack, an auditory journey mirroring the production process, and enhanced with video elements showcasing anti-gravitational dust and particles in motion—a visual ode to the natural elements and forces at play.
I invite viewers to immerse themselves in a multisensory experience where the visible and invisible seamlessly converge. Through intentional acts of destruction and meticulous reconstruction, the series serves as a poignant reflection on the intricate relationship between humanity and nature, prompting contemplation on the tension within imagery and the profound narratives unfolding within each image.
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PINK AGITATION, 2021
Large scale photograph, archival pigment print on 100% cotton paper and fabric
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DISCOMPOSURE 03, 2020
Large scale photograph, archival pigment print on 100% cotton paper
"My work is based on photographs taken around the world within a span of many years. I collect and catalogue them before choosing to use them in a series".
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RECIPROCITY 05, 2020
Large scale photograph, archival pigment print on 100% cotton paper
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RECIPROCITY 03, 2020
Large scale photograph, archival pigment print on 100% cotton paper
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RECIPROCITY 04, 2020
Large scale photograph, archival pigment print on 100% cotton paper
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RECIPROCITY 02, 2020
Large scale photograph, archival pigment print on 100% cotton paper
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AUDIO SAMPLE
I created this soundscape uniquely with sound bits from an audio recording of the sounds it produces when I scratch my prints with a razor blade.
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ANIMA, Carte Blanche, MUSÉE DES BEAUX-ARTS LE LOCLE, March 8th - September 26th, 2021
Anima, installation view
“Anima” is a Latin word meaning soul and breath. It evokes both inner dialogue and imagination. By making her works float in space, Mauren Brodbeck plunges us into the heart of nature through her filter –her palette of colours, modified images, and an unusual sound environment. By creating such a singular visual and sound space, the artist invites the public to enter a garden that evokes a dream landscape rather than a realistic documentation of nature. With Anima, Brodbeck explores materials, colours, textures and sounds, both in the image and sound. The plant world is put into a vibratory state, because it must appeal to our senses and emotions. The artist’s visual and sound variations can be developed endlessly. By moving away from a traditional representation of nature, she invites us to enter into a relationship with a different type of plant environment. Through this immersive space, the artist encourages each of us to let our intuition carry us along. If Brodbeck disturbs what we know of nature, it is because she seeks to create a connection with the invisible, or rather the intangible. Anima takes us beyond the surface of the plant world – a surface that has literally been digitally transformed. Capturing sounds during the creative process is essential for Mauren Brodbeck: scratching photographs or physical contact with the plants contributes to the exploration of the material. The exhibition space thus constitutes an environment where the soundscape echoes the visual landscape, and vice versa. As you walk through this space, you are invited to listen to your own feelings. Conceived as a garden suspended in time and space, Brodbeck’s work refers to the traditional symbolism of the garden: between contemplation and pleasure, it is also a sacred space and a possibility to reconnect with an intimate world. With this installation, Brodbeck reinterprets a common experience: the walk in nature. Her garden sparkles to better address our emotions and sensibilities. Finally, Anima is also an exploration of the “Anima Mundi”: described by philosophers as the soul of the world, it consists of seeing nature as a living being, or rather a divine essence that encompasses and energises every life in the universe.
Nathalie Herschdorfer, Director, Musée des Beaux-Arts Le Locle
Anima, installation view
Anima, installation view
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Fragment, 2021
84 x 105 cm
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Silent Agitation, 2021
84 x 105 cm
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Pink Agitation, 2021
84 x 105 cm
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Anima Flora, 2021
100 x 125 cm
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Anima, installation view
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Discomposure, 2021
100 x 125 cm
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Anima, installation view
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Anima, installation view
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Muted Fragment, 2021
84 x 105 cm
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Anima, Anima Anima, 2021
100 x 125 cm -
Deep Convolution, 2021
84 x 105 cm
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Anima, installation view
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Monochrome Stalkion, 2021
84 x 105 cm
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ANIMA SOUNSCAPE
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FINAL BODY OF WORK
Interplay, Enmenshment, and Matter" is a series is evolves every day. My goal is to create immersive and trans-disciplinary body of work and installations that investigate our relationship to space and the universe, matter and the invisible in various forms.
This is a work in progress. This page will be updated regularly.