Inspired by the Stoic philosophy and the aspiration to control things that are within our power and be indifferent to ones that are not, B.D. Graft is purposely challenging himself to let go of that control and allow for things to take their course. In order to do so, he is fighting the temptation to work in a way that is recognized or appreciated. Instead, he chooses for the work to remain playful, approachable, stripped of any intention to impress, and inspiring for others to try it out, but always stimulating for himself. In his practice, this conducts the looser depiction of desired imagery, more focused utilization of the materiality of paint, as well as interest in capturing the essence of the set scene, beyond its physical qualities. Transforming the representational framework into raw, sometimes abstract passages, it points at the artist’s transitional position and affinity for the messy, heavily textured abstractions by the likes of Martha Jungwirth, Tracy Emin, Rita Ackermann, Tal R, or CoBrA artists. Shifting to the bold use of oil sticks and their unique form of capturing the dynamics of the process, the paintings and drawings are marked with semi-intentional color mixing of oily material and the rich, organic-looking textures built from the buttery medium.
The relentless evolution and constant modification or reinvention were marked by moments that shifted the direction of things moving forward. Symbolizing the community, the fragility of the natural world, procreation, a sense of liveliness, and dedication, the bees entered B.D. Graft’s visual language early on, following flowers, plant pots, fruit bowls, and still lives, as well as the frequent use of yellow. Eye-catching but not as suggestive as other colors, yellow presented itself as a very pleasing yet natural feeling tint to revolve his ideas around. The period of lockdowns and intense isolation, imposed cramming some of these elements inside the imaginary cozy interiors, capturing the confined feeling of the world and using familiarity to explore the imagery and his technique. As if tidying an actual room, B.D. Graft is playing with shapes and their relationships, as well as experimenting with different ways of depiction, all while keeping things safe and satisfying and always a little bit different and new. Finally, the scaling up of the work conditioned the development of new methods and techniques, requiring a new level of confidence, but also, providing a whole range of new opportunities and exciting challenges. On another hand, sculptures of human figures with plant pots for heads became an extension of the urge to push the practice into the new field and still work with familiar elements and basic tools. Stemming from drawings that present an extrovert/introvert person that wants to be visible, but somehow prefers to be unnoticeable or unknown, they hold a sense of mystery through a portrayal of an odd, yet playful behavior.
Determined to fight the urge to be innovative or original in the technical sphere, B.D. Graft is using basic materials, tools, and references when exploring, challenging, and advancing his creativity and imagination. This is how somewhat cliche tropes such as still lifes, fruit bowls, or plant pots, become approved, familiar templates to which he adds his own tone and atmosphere. And although timeless, their zeitgeist echoes through the image, obviously pointing at the 21st-century aesthetics that encompasses illustration, graphics, and painterly gestures. Within that entirety, the questionable decisions, presumed mistakes, and alleged fails together forge a successful whole that defines the visual language and the artist’s character. This transforms the in-between space between ugliness and beauty, a space in which “bad figurative art” strives, into the playground where he is adding “the edge” to his work. Constantly reviving, moving forward, and loosening up, the practice is progressing alongside the healthy development towards a realistic but morally idealistic place of personal comfort and content. Allowing for that sense of flourishing to seep into the work, each blank surface is approached as a clean slate, a new beginning, channeling the buzzing spring vibe of nature’s perpetuation. In the end, every step of this self-thought development turns out to be fundamental for B.D. Graft to arrive at the point where he is pleased to be, evidently enjoying his practice and looking at his oeuvre as the steps on his journey to the point of satisfaction.