My mom was an orphan, and there was never anybody to tell her what she could or couldn't do. At the core, she's probably an artist - an artist and a feminist. Mark Bradford More Quotes by Mark Bradford More Quotes From Mark Bradford I'm kind of an insecure artist. I hop from piece to piece. I always think my life depends on every painting. Every painting is my first painting. Mark Bradford my-life think painting life I don't look at things in black and white. There are big gray areas. There's a lot of slippage. Mark Bradford look black-and-white black white In the neighborhood where my studio is, in South Central Los Angeles, there are a lot of immigrant-owned businesses. I'm constantly amazed at the level of work they do. It's above anything. For me, I think I pattern myself on that work ethic. Mark Bradford myself think me work I don't know why we, in the art world, cannot unpack things and sort of make hybrid notions of a practice. We're very rigid. It's funny, though; in music, we have no problem sampling, mixing and remixing. But in the art world, why can't we take little parts of history and mix it together? Mark Bradford music funny history art I just like artist-driven projects, but for artists themselves: artist spaces, artist mentor programs, and artists buying buildings and making lofts. Doing whatever we can do. Because at the end of the day, I really think that we as a community only have each other. Mark Bradford end-of-the-day day think community I don't know why so many artists talk about the mainstream's problems from the fringe. I think, unfortunately, it's almost like our education makes us too safe and terrified to step into the world. Mark Bradford problems step education world If Home Depot doesn't have it, Mark Bradford doesn't need it. Mark Bradford home-depot need mark home When I was thirteen, I was in a supermarket with my mother, and for no reason at all, I picked up a science-fiction book at the checkout stand and started reading it. I couldn't believe I was doing that, actually reading a book. And, man, it opened up a whole new thing. Reading became the sparkplug of my imagination. Mark Bradford man imagination mother believe Everything I do has an underlying political question. Mark Bradford question everything political I fell through the holes in the educational system. But education is still a way to change a life. Mark Bradford change education life way I just follow the things I'm interested in. That's always guided me. If I'm interested in something, that's where I go. Mark Bradford follow things me always The freeways create economic and racial borders in Los Angeles. South of Interstate 10 is one group of people, west of the 10 another, and south of the 405 North yet another. Mark Bradford racial create group people I don't believe in blanket statements on race. Mark Bradford statements blanket race believe I've always been inspired by small details that make me wander. My mother would ask me, 'What are you looking at so intensely?' I would answer, 'Everything and nothing.' She really supported my wanderings, called me Marco Polo. Mark Bradford looking me you mother In the city, you're always looking around, observing everything. In some neighborhoods, your life can depend on it. The details change constantly. Mark Bradford city you change life About the time I was 7, I got really into black-exploitation films, so I made my own Wonder Woman, but I made her black. Mark Bradford woman my-own black time I can go to my own opening, and the security guard will tell me that I have to go to the security entrance. Mark Bradford will me my-own i-can
