Justin Brooks is a New York City based artist from the small upstate town of Sodus, NY.
"Justin Brooks embarks on a search for meaning through the intimate facets of life. Between his expressive drawings and hyper-detailed oil paintings, he presents surreal alternate realities that resonate with viewers on a personal and collective level. Elaborately composed sets of figures, objects, and landscapes unearth stories from the liminal space between memory, lived experience, and speculative future. Meticulously sifting through photographic references and extensive research, he diligently orchestrates his compositions through preliminary stages of sketches. His paintings are not merely windows but entire hauntingly familiar worlds that envelop his viewers.
Narratives of human nature reveal the symbiotic harmony between chaos and order, natural and ethereal, the everyday and that which is beyond belief. These dichotomies within Brooks’ work echo the struggles we face today. He dissects societal issues and the components of daily life that we no longer seem to question - the isolating impact of technology, prioritization of consumption, and blind acceptance of a radical progression of our world. His imagery reestablishes a direct form of communication in an age where our interactions have become increasingly depersonalized. In his painting, we witness the lasting impact of modernity we embody on a biological, emotional, and spiritual level.
While Brooks offers glimpses into his own journey through his imagery, the narratives he weaves speak to a larger role each individual has on our shared history and legacy. He challenges us to rethink our perception of the world and our role within it. From these revelatory experiences, he asks us to find ways to reestablish connection and restore our sense of empathy in a world seemingly crumbling under the weight of superficiality and alienation.
Justin Brooks has channeled the years of professional training he received from his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute and Master of Fine Arts from the New York Academy of Art, into an established artistic practice. To date, Brooks has exhibited extensively with Stone Sparrow NYC as well as Christies and has been featured in publications such as Hyperallergic.”