Manta Cruda (Connected) Sculpture

Kurtis Brand is a multi-disciplinary artist. He uses art and music as mediums, and his work is a meditation practice. Brand expresses in art what he realizes through meditation. "I feel that this world we occupy is on the brink of extreme change and it is our job as citizens of this planet to make a positive stand environmentally, emotionally, and intellectually and contemplative practice is essential to help our culture evolve into the potential of kindness, love, compassion, and empathy." This part of his work attempts to express the connection we have as people and the oneness of all sentient beings. For the last decade, he has lived in New York, Guatemala, San Francisco, and Connecticut amongst and passionately absorbed in a culture of vast extremes which lends a poetic, immediate and visceral quality to his work. The quotidian material culture he interacts with becomes the inspiration for his work. Materials like volcanic ash from the active and violent volcano, corn masa, the dough that is used to make tortillas that provides sustenance to an extremely impoverished nation, natural plant dyes, upcycled reused denim fabrics, sustainably farmed wood for my frames, natural twine made from the maguey cactus, concrete and rebar are all material aspects that interest him.