Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash)

Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash)
in progress, studio view, 2012

Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash) evolved over the course of three years, while maintaining a commitment to draw each day, without pre-conceived content or form in mind. This daily discipline led to a stream of consciousness process, in which the completion of one drawing, prompted the creation of another. The body of work resulted in 1,242 individual drawings depicting wild animals, landscapes, studies of human anatomy, scientific formulas, and representations of classical art and family photographs, among other subjects. Together they comprise a continuous installation of ten chapters, revealing enduring preoccupations and references – from communication and culture to violence and addiction. Kathryn Kanjo, curator of the exhibition presented at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, describes the monumental scale of the installed work as: “a space of humanity toggling between the languages of physics and poetry, illustrated by images of current events and cultural history.”

Chapter One
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 1-128
2012-2014

Chapter Two
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 128-256
2012-2014

Chapter Three
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 257-376
2012-2014

Chapter Four
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 377-536
2012-2014

Chapter Five
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 537-624
2012-2014

Chapter Six
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 625-750
2012-2014

Chapter Seven
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 751-871
2012-2014

Chapter Eight
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 872-947
2012-2014

Chapter Nine
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 948-1,123
2012-2014

Chapter Ten
Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash), Drawings no. 1,124-1,242
2012-2014

Video produced by the Blanton Museum of Art. Studio footage courtesy of William Gunter. Interview footage and editing by Mary Myers, Blanton Museum of Art. Interview conducted at the Blanton Museum of Art, April 2014, by Ray Williams, Director of Education and Academic Affairs.

Exhibitions

James Drake - The Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash)

Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash)
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

July 10 – September 21, 2014

James Drake - Blanton Museum - Brain Trash

Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash)
Blanton Museum of Art, Austin, TX

October 19, 2014 – January 4, 2015

Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash)
Chapters Four, Six and Eight
Lannan Foundation

July 11 – August 30, 2015

James Drake: Anatomy of Drawing and Space (Brain Trash)

El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso, TX
September 29, 2016 – January 8, 2017