Katie Brown

Interested in art’s role within psychology, Katie uses art-making as a tool for self-communication; exploring the possibility for art to enable self- and community-therapy, as opposed to the current authoritarian dynamic. Using art process to create externalisations of the self for reflection and communication, healing can be autonomous, circumventing the depersonalisation and disempowerment of current methods. Practicing this personally to address the subjects of death, loss, abuse and acceptance, Katie’s compulsion to pick up rust began. Growing up playing on the streets and beaches of London, the items hold important attraction and symbolism for her, collecting and preserving the forgotten bits that fall off as gentrification takes over. Choosing taxidermy as her medium because of its historical, propagandist importance, she found it inspired strong opinion and debate; usually societally-inherited opinion, which when questioned quickly crumbles, as often with homophobia, sexism, racism etc. She would like to promote this debate in order to promote debate on bigger issues.

"Clocking off (Fag-Ash Sally)" and "People Aren't Plastic", Installation, from the series “Fucking Rich Money Cunts”, (taxidermy and found objects) 40x 41cm, 700x 120cm.