Standing on Rugs with Goose: Q & A with Braxton Congrove
Braxton Congrove lives and works in Richmond, VA. She received her BFA from James Madison University and attended the Virginia Commonwealth University Summer Studio Program. Congrove’s recent solo exhibitions took place at VALET and Arlington Arts Center. Her work has been included in group exhibitions at ADA, Disjecta, and Not Gallery, among others. She has attended residencies at Bread and Puppet Theater, OTTO’s Abode, and c3:Initiative and is currently preparing for an upcoming solo exhibition at Random Access Gallery (Syracuse, NY).
What inspired you to represent your world in such a colorful and playful way?
I was inspired to make my ideal world; an imagined colorful home in a sense. The forms are recognizable but distorted, as if seeing a depiction through the lens of a glitter screen; familiar and strange at the same time. The space hopefully feels like an augmented reality.
Why is it important for the viewer to become immersed in this collection of works?
I wanted there to be an intimacy of moving through the objects. It’s interesting when people have to interact with others around them when engaging with the work. I wanted a space where these sculptures could turn into a kind of cozy room.
In your works, there are clear uses of domestic hobby craft techniques. What made you choose these materials?
Making a domestic space using hobby craft techniques seemed sort of funny and logical. Materials like flocking, cardboard, paper mache are things you’d find in a home, but I use them in an excessive and more wild way.
What does your process look like in creating these works? Where do you find your initial inspiration from?
I start with my life/experiences, the internet, friends, everyday objects, and domestic scenes. This all gets mixed in with imagination and fiction. Sometimes it’s just laying on piles of stuff in the studio and wanting that feeling of joy that I have clicking fuzzy carpet tiles together to translate into my work.
These representations point to a more playful view of the world. How important is it to have such an effect and impact on the audience?
Idea of play is very important, I like a less serious approach to viewing work. I want a casual feeling in a gallery setting, like you’re hanging out with friends. The title “Standing on Rugs With Goose” came from a situation like that. The viewer becomes a part of the world, like being let in on an inside joke.
