Collection: Brad Gunn
Brad Gunn is a Melbourne sculptor working in a range of contemporary materials and traditional techniques. With a background in comic book illustration and influences from science fiction, abstract art, fashion and the Renaissance his practice has evolved into what it is today. With a focus on character works his pieces with their otherworldly forms and enigmatic presence present an askew reflection of a known world. Each holds a weight of stories untold and myths unspoken.
These creatures emit ancient lore and an capturing the essence of what it means to be both familiar and alien. In crafting these fantastical beings, I seek to explore themes of transformation and identity. Their hybrid natures—part animal, part human, part pure imagination—embody the fluidity of our own selves, ever-evolving and multifaceted. Through them, I delve into the juxtaposition of beauty and grotesquery, strength and vulnerability, order and chaos.
Form, texture and colour translate the abstract into the tangible. “My process is a dance between intuition and intention, where every detail is imbued movement and symbolic significance. These creatures are a dialogue between the conscious and the subconscious.”
Brad completed his Bachelor’s degree in Sculpture and Spatial practice at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2005 and after a brief creative sabbatical in Berlin established himself as a maker and artist in Melbourne. He developed his skillset in fabrication after working in film and television as well as creating props and displays for companies such as Nike, Mimco, Museum Victoria and Marais.
The work itself is very process driven involving sculpting in oil clay, moulding with silicone and fibreglass and casting with resin and cement. The pieces are either hand painted or coated in velvet fibres. Each work can take months to complete and each series delves into a new theme which reflects a moment in time.
Brad has been selected for the Flinders Lane Gallery 'Exploration' group show, the North Sydney Art Prize, the Wyndham Art prize and the Fishers Ghost Art Award. Brads work "Eggplant is for Everyone" was awarded 1st prize at 2024 Deakin Contemporary Small Sculpture Award. Brads solo exhibition GODS and MONSTERS is currently showing at Compendium Gallery
