Cudelice Brazelton Iv

Cudelice Brazelton IV (b. 1991) was born in Dallas and now lives and works in Frankfurt. The relationship between cosmetic imagery and hardware lies at the forefront of Brazelton’s art. It is echoed through his techniques of tearing, reconstructing, piercing, and piecing together. “Images are collected from barbershop window posters, urban life, and magazines, transferred onto denim to be burned into the surface with the use of soldering irons. The figures and shapes in these drawings are peeling from the surface, revealing another layer underneath or exposing the wall beneath in a gestural exploration of a temporary mark” (Brazelton). His gestures and devices often mimic ways in which one would cut their hair or assemble their outfit. Thus, while no figure is depicted there is still a feeling of a human presence: an identity. This identity refuses to be confined but comes back in various subcultural signifiers that Brazelton plays with. Brazelton’s contrasting use of industrial materials with hair products stems from his personal experiences. His mother had a hair salon where he spent much of his childhood. He also worked in steel foundries in Columbus Ohio. “He is fascinated with the similarities and differences between the two spaces of the hair salon and steel foundry in order to combine popular culture with the act of industrial labor. The work demonstrates an interest in the skills and processes needed in these two fields; resulting in combinations that obscure figuration and lean toward abstraction. The gentle touching and movement of the head is a contrast to the reserved body language within general labor and steel working facilities. Both utilize special tools that are used for modification. The work is further activated through the use of sound. The notion of the cut is expanded to reflect a history of assemblage, the remix, and surgical procedures with artisanal tools as they respond to the recorded audio. The radio, the outdoors, websites, and the exhibition space all serve as a potential satellite that can reach a broader audience who tunes in” (Brazelton). Materiality is essential in Brazelton’s practice. He works with industrial materials reminiscent of his own US reality but also focuses on materials common to everyone, such as skin. It is evident that skin is a heavily-charged signifier that can dictate social relations. This material is often literally zoomed in on, becoming a prominent point of his examination. Moreover, the artist's gestures of scratching, rubbing, and scarifying reference skin abrasion. The creases and scrapings seen on Brazelton’s pieces can be read as allusions to people scratching and picking at their bodies as well as engaging in cosmetic rituals in the name of self-expression. The markings, like tattoos, have at once very specific meanings only familiar to members of the same group, as well as show a universal human desire to communicate one’s difference.