ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Norwegian born artist Fanny Brodar has a BFA from The Art Institute of Boston. Brodar’s background as an illustrator shows in her work. She is influenced by the playful works of Japanese art as well as the works of artists like Rose Wylie. Brodar was born in 1971 in Oslo, Norway, grew up in New York, and currently lives in Maine.
Fanny Brodar’s work is a collision of the 1970’s and 2000’s. It is an animated tapestry of memories from childhood, present day, pop culture, and the future. Bright colours, child-like marks, and scribbled words invite the viewer to delve deeper into their own nostalgia while also questioning what is real and what is make believe.
Influenced by the playful curiosity of childhood and the simplistic yet expressive characters of artists like Philip Guston, Brodar’s works are fun, raw, unusual, figurative pieces with bold fluorescent colours. Brodar gives the viewer hints of her process through exposed pencil marks, paint drips and deliberate unpainted areas saying there is always the never-ending question of “Is it finished?”. Brodar relates this to observing children create and their intrinsic “knowing” of when a piece is finished.
Drawing on her life and immediate surroundings, Brodar paints are nostalgic: ducks because I had pet ducks as a child, monsters that remind me of the Muppets, plants because she loves them.
Since 2020 demand for Brodar’s work has increased exponentially with seven solo exhibitions over eighteen months in Paris, China, Spain, Florida and South Korea, and participation in group exhibitions in Copenhagen, Taiwan, and LA to add to her stable. The artist also has five exhibitions scheduled well into 2024.
Education
1997 BFA Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA
Solo Exhibitions
2023 Gallery Afternoon, Seoul, South Korea
2023 L21 Residency, Mallorca, Spain
2023 Ascaso Gallery, Miami, FL
2023 Nothing At All Gallery, Hong Kong, China
2023 Maison Ozmen, Paris, France
2022 Caelis Galeria, Shanghai, China
2022 Exhibit Art Gallery, Santander, Spain
Group Exhibitions
2023 Galleri Christopher Egelund, Coppenhagen
2023 Art Tapei, Mr. Wing Gallery, Tapei, Taiwan
2023 Estampa Art Fair, Galeria Rafael Perez Hernando, Madrid, Spain
2023 Shit Art Club, Los Angeles, CA
2023 42 Art Space Club, Los Angeles, CA
2022 L21 Gallery, Mallorca, Spain
2022 Caelis Galeria, Shanghai, China
2021 Suomei M50 Gallery, Shanghai, China
2021 Carver Hill Gallery, Camden, Maine, USA
2021 ART YOU LOVE, CMCA online auction, Artsy
2021 MUTUO Centro de Arte, Barcelona, Spain
2020 Playground, Saint Maison Gallery, Online
2020 CMCA Biennial Exhibition, Rockland, ME, USA
2020 HOME, A Virtual Exhibition, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
2020 Fountain of Youth, Saint Maison Gallery, Online
2020 CONGRUENCE, I Like Your Work Podcast & Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Online
2020 RICE Initiative, Online Magazine
2020 ARTPM 2020, Buoy Gallery, Kittery, Maine, US.
2020 ACBD, Portsmouth Public Library, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA
2020 Carnivalesque, Van Der Plas Gallery, New York, NY, USA
2019 Mr. Duck’s Holiday, Leader, Biddeford, Maine, USA
2019 Cats & Houseplants, Lavender, Portland, Maine, USA
1997 Thesis Exhibition, Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA
Selected Press
2020 Portland Press Herald, CMCA Biennial takes on tough topics
2020 Portland Phoenix, The next wave of Maine artists
2020 Portsmouth Public Library, Artist Curated Book Display: Fanny Brodar
Publications and Awards
2020 Featured Artist, ArtNorth Magazine Nos. 6 & 7, Tongue, Scotland
Related Experience
2021 Artist Residency, Ellis Beaureagard Foundation, Maine, US
2020 Volunteer, Able Baker Contemporary, Portland, ME
1997 Teacher, Art Institute of Boston, Boston, MA
