Crossroads: Rebecca Brodskis

Cuturi Gallery is proud to present Crossroads by Rebecca Brodskis (b. 1988, France). In this fresh selection of works, Brodskis highlights the diversity of cultures and ethnicities she was exposed to during her residence in Singapore. Being an artist with a fascination with the diversity of humanity, her motivation is enriched by the exposure to various races and cultural backgrounds. 

 

Over the years, Brodskis has developed and perfected a style that distinguishes her works at first sight. Coming from a family of filmmakers, Brodskis' distinctive painterly style has been greatly influenced by cinematic aesthetics, especially those of the 1920s and 1930s. As such, her characters are poised and elegant, often appearing to have stepped out of a black-and-white film with their sharp silhouettes, refined features and posing pointedly with blank stares. 

 

Each anonymous character is portrayed in their ethnic clothing as Brodskis was intrigued by the origins of each ethnicity after exploring different parts of Singapore during her stay. With archival images of various ethnic groups along with the recollection of individuals that left an impression on her, Brodskis goes on to construct these figures onto the canvas.

 

Bearing resemblance to the artistic styles of Corneille de Lyon whose backgrounds are deprived of scenery, Brodskis uses simple compositions which prioritize her characters. These portraits are developed through the gradual, meditative process in which she waits for one layer of paint to dry before applying the next. As a result, her compositions are precise and graphical in style. The carefully delineated lines slowly uncover abstract shapes floating within a decontextualized surreal space as the viewers approach the canvas. Within this space, social and visual hierarchies are stripped away, and our perspective is refocused on colour and gesture.

 

Similarly, the stillness of the image, the smooth surface of the canvas, the balance of shapes and the rich colour tones invite a deep state of contemplation. Though each portrait possesses its own emotional resonance and tension, together, they form a crowd of faces where viewers are invited to step into and create their own conversations. 

 

Rebecca Brodskis (b. 1988, France) spent most of her childhood living between Morocco and France and has recently resided in Tel Aviv, New York, and Berlin. She studied painting at the Ateliers des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris (2007) and at Central St. Martins in London (2010). Having always been fascinated by theoretical studies, Brodskis studied Sociology at the University of Strasbourg in 2013 and obtained her Master's degree in the field from the University of Caen Normandy in 2015 where she concentrated her research on issues of vulnerability and social catastrophe.

 

Exploring the borders of the sensible world, Brodskis’ work revolves between conscious and unconscious spaces, leading to a reflection on existence, the self and the otherness.

 

Crossroads will be on view at Cuturi Gallery from 1 to 23 December 2022.