David Brady
Phoenix, United States
Born in Los Angeles, Phoenix‑based artist David Brady is known for provocative images of contemporary life. His recently published graphic memoir “Into the Tunnel” chronicles his experience surviving Stage 3 throat cancer. Since the early 1980s he has filled over 90 sketchbooks with drawings, observations and ideas, forming the basis of his belief that art is healing. He contributes to art therapy projects, including work with terminally ill children through Coach Art and workshops for U.S. veterans, and has collaborated with Nelson Mandela to raise funds for African AIDS programs.
Brady’s paintings and collages have been shown internationally, including the Museum of Fine Art in Cuba, the Modern Art Museum in Mexico, the Turchin Center for the Arts, Lilia Arts Center in Japan and the Center for the Study of Collage in France.
Artist Interview
Q: Your work is deeply provocative and carries dark undertones that leave a lasting impression. What inspires you to create these pieces, and what do you hope your audience takes away from your art?
A: Art rarely addresses the unheard and unseen in society. Early on in my art making, I shifted from what I saw to what I felt, which led to me drawing people from the inside out. With so much violence and anger in our environment, it often goes unnoticed until it is portrayed in art. I want the audience to see themselves in the reflections of one of my installations.
Q: "Into the Tunnel" offers a raw and personal account of your battle with throat cancer. How did the process of creating this graphic memoir influence your perspective on art as a healing mechanism?
A: I have always felt that drawing or the process of making art has the power to redirect pain or suffering, at least temporarily. Each day, I took my sketchbook to Chemotherapy and recorded how I felt. As I observed other patients, I could see that most had no way to process the pain and uncertainty of the journey they were on. I realized the advantage I had in surviving because I could escape, process, and record the strangeness all around me.
Q: With over 90 sketchbooks filled over the years, how do these personal archives inform and inspire your larger works? Do you find yourself going back to your older sketchbooks for inspiration?