Isabel Bronston Joseph, "Share the Road"

Utility box artist statement:

A dam which blocks the path of herring from sea to their original spawning rivers is an example of hostile architecture. I am interested in how infrastructures that restrict and harm other species mirror the structural inequalities in our own city so often taken for granted in the interest of social control and profit. My work is currently focused on using science fiction premises to interrogate my problems with critical distance, for example reflecting on my experiences working in the service industry for the past five years, which puts in stark relief the labor conditions behind urban conveniences. Another inspiration has been my medical transition and its many bureaucratic gatekeepers. My body has been built for me by and with the permission of cisgender people, a process which has illuminated many barriers to communication and self- advocacy. Crucially, I am a multi-privileged person with a sufficient safety net to transition anyways. Those same privileges disincentivize structural critique, steering attention away. This painting is a night scene because night is when the most bugs and animals roam the city. It depicts a street seen from the ground, at the level of amorphous fleshy critters. The human figure pictured is an oblivious giant tripping over their avenue, spilling litter in its wake. I’m contriving the lens of an animal witness to consider mechanisms that hinder solidarity.

About the artist:

Isabel Bronston-Joseph (they/them/he/him) was raised in Burlingame CA and currently resides in Providence RI. They hold a BFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design (2019). Isabel treads multiple formal craft histories to consolidate their gay transsexual problems into discrete paintings, knitwear, and sculptures.

Isabel employs systems of abstraction and obstruction that communicate to their audience an expectation of endurance. Looking longer yields greater rewards. Dense graphic imagery forecloses the distinction between decoration and narration. They are interested in worker solidarity, cognitive distortions, esteem, movies, chess, running, and cooking.

Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray Paint

Artist IG: @bizzzbj

~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~

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