We had the good fortune of connecting with Reed van Brunschot and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Reed, how do you think about risk?
As a child, our family moved so much, (I am talking about changing continents, moved), and all that time I wished for stability. When it came time to go to college, it’s as if that momentum of childhood became my norm and I wanted to keep moving. As a lifelong dream, I really wanted to study art in New York, but my father said colleges were way too expensive, art was not a stable career, and NYC was not a good place for an 18-year-old to go by herself. As an alternative he proposed, since I was half Dutch ( & half Peruvian) in nationality, why not study business or fashion in Amsterdam where studies are heavily subsidized instead? So I studied fashion (a more business-creative compromise than just studying art) and I moved to Amsterdam. After my studies and a few years working in fashion, plus several other soul searching internships later, I realized I was not happy. My biggest regret was not following my gut, so I applied to one of the best and hardest to get into art schools in the Netherlands, the Rietveld Academy, knowing full well I would have to fund it myself. I got in. During my study, I was rewarded a grant to study “abroad” to New York’s School of Visual Arts as an exchange at no cost, that was my original goal as a teenager, full-circle moment. In New York, I was invited to exhibit art for the first time in a gallery. And since that day over a decade ago, I have not stopped exhibiting my art and growing. After some time, I decided to get my masters in fine arts, but knew I could not afford it on my own, so I only applied to places offering full tuition coverage and said- I will only get a master’s if I can go for free and rolled the dice. I got into the University of Southern California’s MFA Art program on a fully paid fellowship. All my life, I never considered myself a risk-taker, but I am. Without risks, there cannot be change and without change and hard work, there cannot be growth. I think when you stop listening to others and start listening to yourself- to your true calling, something you do with passion- only great things will come from it. Because once you find your path, I consider it like rolling a snowball going downhill- it collects more snow and grows bigger. Life is short, don’t second guess yourself, take that trip, apply to that unattainable thing, hack the system, write your life as you want it! You never know what beautiful things lie on the other side of that hesitation or fear. And never stop creating new goals, never stop taking risks!
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art is about taking a deeper look at everyday domestic things around us and recontextualizing them. Either by changes of material or scale, I like to invite a moment of introspection to certain scenes in life that either are definitive or often overlooked. Moments like a birthday party, or a funeral scene, or banal things like thank you bags, or bank waiting lines, or kitchens, and chairs. In a way, I create new narratives and associations with these sculptural objects or installation scenes, letting the viewer become part of that moment. I have been studying and working with art my whole life. I always needed to create things, to imagine scenarios, to organize people to do silly things. I feel almost like it was not a choice but a calling, a need to release these crazy ideas into the world or I would burst, or if not shrivel up in sadness and regret. It’s been a long journey for me and still much longer to go and grow. As an immigrant to the US, as cliche as it was, my parents were afraid for me to pursue art because there would be no money there. But I was more miserable not doing it than when I was. The moment I decided to make art committedly full-on, beautiful opportunities started coming my way, prestigious grants and acceptances to legendary schools, exhibitions with some of my heroes, international travel, meeting so many other great thinkers, mentors, and minds, also designing permanent art pieces, and now teaching art at the university level and sharing my own skills with others. All this didn’t just land in my lap, although I do consider myself very lucky, I have also worked my ass off for everything. I think the best moment for me, was when I could show my parents, look don’t worry about me- I magically found a niche- where I am going to be alright in doing what I love, I’m going to be alright. More than alright.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I wanted to give people an alternative view or the hidden Miami, I would take them to the old Marine Stadium on Key Biscayne, then I would go spend some time under the palm trees at the Crandon beaches, maybe have lunch at No Name Harbor. I’m a big thrift shopper and Flamingo Plaza a gritty strip mall of thrift stores in Hialeah has always been pretty magical for finding treasures. I would DEFINITELY go eat some Peruvian food or go to Mignonette near Mid-Town, for oysters (and also check out the installations that I made at the restaurant ;). I would visit some galleries like Locust Projects, Primary, or Spinello Projects and see what’s good. I would go down to the everglades and get a smoothie at Robert Is Here. Or ride my bicycle next to alligators in Shark Valley. Then probably end it with a cocktail at the Freehand on South Beach.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout is to my partner of over 16 years my husband, Elmer Ko. He was studying rocket science and I was studying art when I met him, I think there is no better partnership in life than an artist and a scientist. Because you always need someone to support your crazy with a bit of common sense. He’s been my best cheerleader in this life, throughout all the good and bad. I periodically ask him why he is with me, and he says, you make life more interesting.
Website: https://www.reedvanbrunschot.com
Instagram: Reed van Brunschot ART: https://www.instagram.com/reedvanbrunschot/?hl=en
Other: Design Instagram: ReedvanBee
Image Credits
all photos courtesy of the artist.