SF Art Speaks: An Interview with Painter Bradley Platz
Bradley Platz is a San Francisco painter whose work, based on religious icons, is heavily influenced by the artistic masters who have come before him. A resident of the North Beach neighborhood, he can be found around the city enjoying the gems of the art scene such as the work at the DeYoung Museum and the Legion of Honor Museum. More information can be found on his website, his studio update blog and his MySpace page.
What can you tell us about the basics of your artwork? I believe that a painter should honor what has come before and show respect where respect is deserved. My work is based upon religious icons and renaissance imagery which is set in a modern context. It is a constant personal inquiry; piece by piece it is a task of deconstructing our idols of worship and considering how they have changed through the centuries.
What projects are you working on now? I’m working on a series of wooden altarpieces (Oil on Panel) involving the madonna and the sacred heart as the seeds of technology (electricity). They also show the madonna (as the constant myth of the mother of God) throughout various oral traditions, namely Sophia and the Demiurge….Sophia the archon that fell from grace who begat the Lion-faced Demiurge, the scourge and god of the material world.
What art goals do you have for yourself? To create beautiful pieces of art that inspire others and sustain a comfortable living whereby I can produce large amounts of work healthily and happily without economic interference. And to rescue painting from modern art.
Where can you be found when you’re just out and about in the city? I live in North Beach … I like it a lot there. It still holds a bit of Italian charm. I enjoy walking around the hidden staircases on Russian Hill. I like gallery hopping through The Tenderloin, the Academy of Sciences in SOMA (check the penguins out!) and enjoying a cold beer on a warm day on a public sidewalk.
How does the city inspire or affect your art? The city is my anti-hero.
What do you think the average visitor to San Francisco should know about the art scene here? Do you like cute/ scary / cartoonish things with big eyes..and art openings that double as late night parties.? You’ll love it here. If you answered no… Check out the Legion of Honor Museum (they have a Rembrandt self-portrait that is fantastic and a Bougereau painting that will blow up your mind) , The De Young Museum (for the glass art and the John Singer Sargent paintings), and you might be able to catch a couple Odd Nerdrum paintings around the Union Square area.
Where can we see your work? I am on a short hiatus from a long series of shows. When I finish up this newest series, I’ll seek out a space for exhibition sometime in the fall. In the meantime I’m doing some small group shows in the east bay, West Virginia and Los Angeles over the next few months. The best place to see my work is online @ www.ModernEden.com or to schedule a visit to my studio.
What advice do you have for emerging artists? Learn to paint like the masters, then do whatever you want. People will support you. People will respect you.
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