Mark Bradford
Mark Bradford
Mark Bradfordis an American artist living and working in Los Angeles...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionArtist
CountryUnited States of America
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.
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.
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.
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.
anybody artist mom
My mom was an orphan, and there was never anybody to tell her what she could or couldn't do. At the core, she's probably an artist - an artist and a feminist.
brought free mom
My mom was a free spirit, and she brought me up to be a free spirit.
We have to tighten some things up. We need to be a little more patient.
best car happen negative plates police pull run
The police pull up in back of my car and run my plates - they don't see you as you are; they see you through a racialized negative gaze. I think the best thing is not to internalize it too much, or it'll make you crazy because you know it's going to happen again.
belong choose expected figured people room run society suddenly visit
I never expected to run into a room and suddenly I belonged. I figured people who live on the fringes of society, they're more free. They can choose to visit anywhere; they don't belong to anywhere. It's like being without a nation, in a way.
ensure happen
It's very time-consuming. We want to ensure it's done correctly. It's nothing that's going to happen overnight.
became believe opened picked reason stand
When I was thirteen, I was in a supermarket with my mother, and for no reason at all, I picked up a science-fiction book at the checkout stand and started reading it. I couldn't believe I was doing that, actually reading a book. And, man, it opened up a whole new thing. Reading became the sparkplug of my imagination.
underlying
Everything I do has an underlying political question.
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.
either trust
You either have to find a way to be really creative materially, or you better have a trust fund. And, last I checked, I didn't have a trust fund.