When asked about the meaning of his artwork, Christian Brandner says, “I never explain my paintings so no influence is made upon the viewer. On the contrary, the viewer must connect with them not through the rational mind but through a vibration, one of a subtle, energy type.” Interpreting his work is like looking through the doorway of an alternative reality and what one sees is a labyrinth of infinite layers of unfolding worlds, each one with its own singularity.

 

Christian’s dreamlike compositions of a vast universe, with their echoes of surrealism, where seeds of life seem to be embedded in chaos while seeds of destruction embrace life, reminds us of the ever-present contradictions of life itself that offers more mystery than fact.

 

Brandner’s artistic quest is embodied in a never ceasing web of images, symbols and mandalas where the primordial elements of nature become the footprints of his artistic alchemy. We dive into a universe of personal visions and feelings, where the real world blends itself with alternate realities through paintings that capture timeless themes. His search for artistic expression can be appreciated in his detail-oriented renditions translated through paint into realistic representations of objects of human and abstract forms all of which combine to form a balanced inner world in a chaotic universe.

 

Christian’s process is analogous to the fermentation of fine wine. Whether the object of his fascination is a found steel tong or a memory of lighting his first match as a child, Christian allows the ideas to age months before he sets them to canvas. He then employs a synthesis between a planned and chance-driven composition, embracing the direction and modifications the painting demands from the original idea. As an expert in decorative painting with gold inlay, Christian makes ample use of gold leaf in his paintings to emphasize other biographical elements and symbols.

 

Christian was born in Argentina, where he graduated from the School of Visual Arts and has lived in New York for the past 30 years. He developed a successful career as a decorative painter, collaborating with interior designers and architects in numerous projects for some of the wealthiest clients in New York and the world, while at the same time, refining his own style of painting.