Francois Brand

Born in Cape Town, Francois began taking photographs and studying the history of art at the age of 15 at Frank Joubert Art School. His approach comprises of classical black and white photography and thinking that lends lend almost directly from the miksang approach while his love for shape, form and strong contrasts are indefinitely Bauhaus influences.

Bound in between this inseparable dichotomy he translates it as such: "I am prodded from both sides equally. The affection of subjects, and the absolute finality of shape and light. And without sounding like a smart-aleck, that dichotomy and the viewer (incl me) become the trichotomy. My works hold those reins: the heart and the eye, separate aspects woven together. Neither watered down, 100% visual and 100% soul."

His works a visually "simplistic" - no need for complication, that portrays creative in-completion / under-development to him. "As your self confidence grows, it changes your perspective on art, and life - the need for complexity disperses - a yearning for simplicity overtakes. One of the hardest parts is overcoming the disillusion that we cannot alter this perception from within."

Simplistic also because he refuses to budge an inch to trade off anything for his ...

2007 - 1 yr Exhibition at Parkbench Gallery, Cape Town
2009 - 1 week exhibition, Cape Town
2010 - 30 days exhibition, Cape Town
2014 - Seattle, street exhibition, Bell town