A new Film by Eric Minh Swenson

SHOW Gallery exhibited “Charcoal Collection” by Corran Brownlee at their new contemporary art space in Hollywood from March 1st to April 6th, 2018. As the artist in residence for the month of March, Corran worked on a new body of work in the mezzanine studio at SHOW Gallery while his 15 original charcoal drawings were on display in the main exhibition space.

During Corran’s residency he was also experimenting with the creative tools available on the PicsArt app, which now has over 100 million monthly active users. Corran did a 24 hourCharcoal Collection by Corran Brownlee editing challenge with PicsArt’s global community to remix his original “Mermaid” drawing. There were over one thousand submissions that can be viewed here: https://picsart.com/challenge/ircmysticalmermaid. The remix video of Corran’s top picks was shown as a video installation at the Gallery during the exhibition.

Each piece in Charcoal Collection is a scene from an untold story. The narrative is hinted at, but never revealed. The artist draws the viewer into a still and silent world, devoid of colour, where their imagination is given free rein. The viewer becomes the storyteller. And like any good story, these ghostly, romantic images linger in the mind.

Much of the scene remains hidden beneath a heavy layer of charcoal, inviting the viewer to look for answers in the shadows. The subjects themselves are lifted out of the darkness, as if projected from a dream. Often turned away from the viewer, they exist in their own world, unaware of our scrutiny.

Where are they going? Who, or what, are they waiting for? The questions hang in the air, waiting for us to provide the answers.

For twenty years Corran Brownlee has used his craft to realize the vision of other filmmakers and storytellers from fight sequence storyboards for Jackie Chan to concept images for James Bond opening titles. This collection allows us to journey into his own world.
Instagram: @corran_brownlee

Show Gallery is an art gallery and artist residency showcasing LA-based and international contemporary artists located in the heart of Hollywood.

Instagram: @showgallery

Eric Minh Swenson shot a short film at SHOW Gallery during Corran Brownlee’s residency.