Cudelice Brazelton IV

Cudelice Brazelton IV is a renowned contemporary artist whose work consists of assemblages and painting/collages.

Biography of Cudelice Brazelton IV

Cudelice Brazelton IV is a contemporary artist born in 1991. He received his education at Städelschule, Staatliche Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Frankfurt from 2017-2021, and also attended Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture in Madison in 2016. Currently, the artist lives and works in Frankfurt a.M., Germany.

Brazelton has had several solo exhibitions, including "Under Conditions" at Wschód in Warsaw and "Auto Picture" at Cell Projects London in 2022, "Bronzed from Silver" at Sans titre (2016) in Paris in 2021, and "Starter Kit" at Barbara Weiss in Berlin, also in 2021. He participated in group exhibitions, such as Frieze London with Wschód (Unworlding section) in 2021.

Cudelice Brazelton's IV art style

Brazelton's work consists of assemblages and paintings/collages with a piercing quality that leaves a mark. His works come in various sizes and pervade the space with their bodily presence. His practice is influenced by various subcultures and current discourses, such as blackness, punk, DIY, and queer club culture. His works not only reference these influences but are also driven by them. They can be absurdly humorous or eerily dark, adorning, or crafty, and they sharply point to what lies behind or in front of the surface of a body (of work).

Cudelice Brazelton IV centers his artistic practice on the processes of deconstruction and reconstruction. Through his work, he skillfully dismantles the structures of garments to create captivating architectural sculptures. These sculptures incorporate various materials, such as leather, denim, and rubber, often sourced from found objects that are intentionally decontextualized within the exhibited artworks.

Working with steel rods, wire, plastic, fake leather, black acrylic paint, cardboard, and cufflinks, Cudelice Brazelton IV highlights the easily overlooked qualities of these synthetic and vaguely industrial materials. 

Brazelton IV's Famous Works

"The Picker," a captivating artwork by Cudelice Brazelton IV, showcases his ability to navigate between abstraction and figuration. This piece is a remarkable painting/collage created on found textiles that have been stretched on canvas. At the center of the composition, an oval-shaped cutout reveals a surrealistic and distorted face with eye-like features, skillfully drawn on black-painted wood. The visage is framed by beige carpet and embellished with rivets, while a black bolt sticks out like the pointed bill of a swordfish. Adding to the visual narrative, an inkjet print of a Black hand can be seen waving from its right temple. Loosely attached to the artwork with a strand of black hair, a buckle draws attention to a rust-colored belt that is attached to the wool fabric. The belt carries images of a pierced ear and a reptile-like rivet formation found on a black leather garment.

Through this intricate assemblage, Brazelton IV invites viewers to contemplate the juxtaposition of diverse elements and symbols, blending various textures, materials, and cultural references into a visually striking and thought-provoking composition.

His artistic practice is a reflection of blackness, where his works serve as a bridge between his personal reality and a shared reality within the Black community. One standout artwork is the collage piece titled "Dark City," which carries powerful symbolism. It comprises images of an overturned police bus, a tree, and a black cube-shaped building bearing the word "City" in white letters. "Dark City" serves as a potent visual representation, embodying the artist's perspective and offering poignant commentary on the intersecting themes of blackness, social dynamics, and the current state of society.

Through his work, Brazelton invites viewers to reflect on the collective experiences within the Black community and the broader societal context, fostering dialogue and a deeper understanding of the realities faced by marginalized communities.