Art statement |
About A. Laura Brody |
We are all buried treasure.
I re-imagine mobility scooters, wheelchairs, and walkers as works of art. These pieces begin with discarded medical devices and are given new personalities. Their goal is to spark new conversations and help change our approach to disability and aging. My textile pieces stem from traditional women’s crafts that tell personal stories and build community. I am a professional costume maker and designer who came to disability art after a former partner had a stroke. I was fascinated by adaptive technology, but repulsed by its cold and clinical design. My curiosity with how we view disability led me to develop Opulent Mobility, a series of group exhibits that re-imagine disability as opulent and powerful. I approach my artworks as a costume designer, starting with themes from history and mythology and researching their backgrounds and multifaceted stories. I then develop and test techniques, sketch out my ideas, find base items to build on, and then begin the construction process. This is long, therapeutic, and alternately frustrating and exhilarating. Each piece can take up to two years to complete. These artworks touch on visible and invisible disability, feminism, emotional labor, mental health, and sustainability. They are primarily made from reclaimed materials. |
Laura Brody sculpts for the human body and its vehicles. She developed and curates Opulent Mobility, a series of exhibits that re-imagine disability as opulent and powerful. Her art has been shown at ACE/121 Gallery, Art Share LA, Brea Gallery, California State University Northridge, the Charles River Museum of Industry, the Dora Stern Gallery at Arts Unbound, Gallery Expo, Ikouii Creative, Westbeth Center For the Arts, and The World of Wearable Art.
Ms. Brody works as a professional costume maker and designer, an artist, and as an educator. She is passionate about reuse, sustainability, and re-imagining disability. Podcast on "World Gone Good" with Ms. Brody about Opulent Mobility Ikouii spotlight on A. Laura Brody and Opulent Mobility ShoutOut LA article on A. Laura Brody, artist, teacher, and founder/curator of Opulent Mobility |
exhibitions
SOLO EXHIBITS:
2023 The Makery, Los Angeles, CA 2021 Ikouii Creative, online 2018 Highways Gallery, Santa Monica, CA 2017 917 Garage, Silverlake, CA 2012 Monte Cristo Club, Los Angeles, CA CURATION: 2022 OM 2022 at Antelope Valley Arts Gallery, CA 2021 OM 2021 at Wingwalker Brewery, CA 2020 Opulent Mobility 2020 online 2019 OM 2019 at Dora Stern Gallery, NJ 2018 OM 2018 at Thymele Arts, Hollywood, CA 2017 www.opulentmobility.com 2015 OM 2015 at California State Northridge’s West Gallery, Northridge, CA 2013 OM 2013 at Bell Arts Factory, Ventura, CA GROUP EXHIBITS: 2023 The Makery, CA Art Share LA, CA Destroy the Gap, OH 2022 The Makery, CA Ikouii Creative Santa Clarita Arts, CA Create Magazine 2021 O'Hanlon Center for the Arts, CA Pomona Valley Arts Association, CA Ikouii Creative Brea Gallery, Brea, CA 2020 Brea Gallery, Brea, CA Las Lagunas Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Washington Reid Gallery, CA 2019 ACE/121 Gallery, Glendale, CA No Future Cafe, CA 2018 Arroyo Arts Collective at ACE/121 Gallery Brea Gallery, Brea, CA 2015 Westbeth Center for the Arts, NY Schkapf Theater and Incubation Center, Hollywood, CA 2014 11:11- A Creative Collective, West Hills, CA 2013 Green Public Art, San Diego, CA. 2011 & 2013 Summerset Festival of the Arts, Baraboo, WI. 2012 Encore Arts 4 at Sauk County Arts, Baraboo, WI. Gallery Expo, Long Beach, CA. World of Wearable Art, Wellington, NZ 2011 EcoLogicalART Gallery, LA, CA. Rico Adair Gallery, North Hollywood, CA. 2010-2011 Charles River Museum of Industry, Waltham, MA. |
Teaching and Talks
INSTRUCTOR:
2018-20 Glendale Community College, Glendale, CA 2019 ACE/121, Glendale, CA 2013 City of Pasadena Recreation Department, Pasadena, CA 2012 Machine Project, Los Angeles, CA Majestical Roof, Pasadena, CA 2008 UL Lafayette, Lafayette, LA 2007 Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles, CA GUEST SPEAKER/ARTIST: 2017 Disability as Spectacle conference UCLA, Los Angeles, CA DisArt Symposium, Grand Rapids, MI 2015 Perspectives on Disability Studies at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 2011-2014 Summerset Festival of the Arts, Baraboo, WI. 2012 The Event Formerly Known as Nerd Nite, LA, CA. Toi Whaakari Drama School, Wellington, NZ. 2010 Los Angeles Visionaries, Clifton’s Cafeteria, LA, CA. 2006 USITT, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL. |
Costume Design
FILM DESIGN:
2010 Purgatory, Inc. 2008 House of Bones 2006 Marry Me 2005 The Call of Cthulhu SELECTED COSTUME DESIGN: THEATER & DANCE 2011 The Crucible 2010 Fearful Symmetries 2010 11, September 2009 Tent Meeting The Hostage 2008 State of LA Danse Masters on the Movies 2007 Loyal Women B4 I Wake Twelfth Night Power Henry IV, Part I Full technical costume resume available upon request |