Brian Barrer

Breaking down the meaning of images and assembling new contexts is the basis for my work. Since the early 1990s I have used mixed media and photographic assemblage to express an ever evolving imagination. These often take the form of vibrant aesthetic experiences that fuse playful abstractions with the intensified realism of captured images. Artwork begins as a singular process with the object of connecting with others. The removal of collective barriers and the dismantling of our perceptions allow expressions from within to find this commonality. While the end result of my work offers discourse and a large degree of interpretive latitude, my hope is to share with the viewer a sense of creative connection and imaginative exploration.

The creative process for my work often begins with visions of space, balance, and colour. Readily identifiable ideas provide the opportunity for story to be expressed often culminating in reinvented and dramatic resolution. The use of objects in a new conceptual context then offers the viewer a chance to explore their own imagination and creativity. The compositions of my pieces are usually finalized when the manipulated scene provides enough insight to evoke feelings of dislocated familiarity. I en...

Education
2007 Nipissing University, North Bay, Ontario
2004 University of Toronto, OISE
1995 Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario
1983 Georgian College Barrie, Ontario

The Artist Project Toronto February 2014
Art Expo Pier 94 New York USA April 2014