Skip Brea

Alive & Grateful 🤞🏾📵🧌

Alive & Grateful 📵🐦‍🔥🤞🏾 ;;

From a guppy to a bell ringer to the town elder. Being at @macdowell1907 has changed who I am not only as an artist but as a person. Spending the holidays and entering a new year there allowed me to start 2024 on the right foot amongst fellow creatives. I got to experience the gambit of artists from visual artists to filmmakers to writers and composers; I was blessed to be around and pick the brains of New York Times best sellers, Guggenheim award winners, Paris Review/Art Forum wordsmiths, to faculty at some of the most prestigious universities; both making and researching amazing work, every presentation was worthwhile and continued to awe time and time again. Being & working in the same spaces that former artists have shared, you could still feel their energy radiating through all of the spaces. (James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Walter Dean Myers, Alice Walker; just to name some that have influenced my work — I was lucky enough to make work in the same studio as the great @howardenapindell ). I got to experience how focused and dedicated these artists were day in and day out and it really validated what I’ve sacrificed over the years. I went in as a sponge not knowing what to expect and I’d liked to think came out a bit wiser. From meteor showers to cold plunges, I want to say I appreciate everyone who I’ve met during the last few months and to those who have taken interest in the very niche work I’m doing. Thank you to all of the wonderful staff that make MacDowell special, I can’t wait to go make my way back ! - 150k Words, 1 Manifesto, 4 & 1/2 Paintings, 1/2 an Animation, 4 Graphics and 5 Books Finished. A productive residency to say the least. • I’d also like to extend a special thank you to folks who’ve motivated me to apply, have given consistent constructive feedback, and believed in the work I’m doing since the inception of it. — @liliangarciaroig @chrisdoylestudio @emilieclarknyc @the_oscarmorel @kerriganclark @carrieannbaade @lorimiles13 @mk.brick #artist #residency #explorepage #painting #digitalcreations #newyorkartist #ihatehashtags

Thank you, @sephsees , for the care and intention you brought to writing about the exhibition at @bronxmuseum & thank you to @hyperallergic for continuing to create space for thoughtful, rigorous engagement with artists and their work. @sephsees ; your perspective is both specific and singular. The way you write feels considered, like the work was truly spent time with, observed closely, and allowed to unfold on its own terms. That depth of attention is rare, and it does not go unnoticed so thank you again. I deeply appreciate the generosity, clarity, and nuance you bring to your writing, and all that you do to support artists through such meaningful criticism. You all can catch the full article live now on my story and on the @hyperallergic website. Truly grateful. Please go check out the article and exhibition while it’s still up. More events for the public coming soon !

Full circle. It is a profound honor to have an exhibition in the museum that represents my younger self’s stomping grounds. @bronxmuseum will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am deeply grateful to have been part of the AIM program. I can only hope to continue inspiring the artists who come after us. If you weren’t able to attend the opening or the convening, there will be more opportunities to connect with the artists and experience the exhibition. The show will be on view through June, make sure to stop by, and we look forward to welcoming you at future events. A special thank you to Max Lakin for visiting the exhibition and featuring us in @nytimes . Please take a moment to read the article and see what the artists have been working on through their time with AIM. Another heartfelt thank you to @patrickdrowe , Nell, and @eileenj8 for believing in us and trusting that we would show up. You each have so much on your plates, and the support you’ve shown has been nothing short of extraordinary. We are truly grateful to have you all in our corner. To all the family and friends who came out, the exhibition support would be nothing without you all ! And finally, thank you to @argenisphoto for these beautiful photographs.

Happy to announce that the time has come. I’ll be showing a reinterpretation installation of one of my paintings turned into an animation at the 7th AIM Biennial at the Bronx Museum. If you’re available see you at @bronxmuseum this Friday, Jan 23 for the opening reception of “The Seventh Bronx Museum Biennial: Forms of Connection” 6-8pm. This show is curated by Patrick Rowe, Associate Director of Education & Public Engagement, & Nell Klugman. 2024 AIM Fellows: Skip Brea, Hedwig Brouckaert, Jordan Cruz, Ricki Dwyer, Bryan Fernandez, Diana Guerra, DeepPond Kim, Juyon Lee, Delvin Lugo, Jodie Lyn-Kee-Chow, lauren mcavoy, Laurel Richardson, Asia Stewart, and Motohiro Takeda 2025 AIM Fellows: Katie Chin, Noga Cohen, Jill Cohen-Nuñez, Rocío Delaloye, Nazli Efe, Erick Alejandro Hernandez, Leekyung Kang, kiarita, Sangmin Lee, Massiel Mafes, Piero Penizzotto, Jennifer Teresa Villanueva, Cyle Warner, and V Yeh. Special thank you to everyone who made this all possible, the staff, the show designer, the exhibition manager, executive director, curatorial director, and all of the press this couldn’t be possible without you all. RSVP & See you all soon ! #bronxaimbiennial #bronxmuseum #bronx

“Threads” weaves memory and imagination into a tapestry where images live, shift, and speak beyond the bounds of time and perspective.   Drawing on folklore, literature, and inherited histories, Skip Brea’s (@skipxd ‘24) works reimagine storytelling through speculative, dreamlike spaces where scale, time, and perspective shift fluidly. Each frame bridges analog and digital—layered textures, digital mark-making, and hand-drawn interventions—creating a tactile sense within every image.   Brea asks how memory persists: not as record, but as a living constellation of images, gestures, and meaning. #MadeAtMacDowell

On view now! @SaveArtSpace : Postcards, Prophets & Monuments Selected Artist & Location @skipxd E 177th St & Devoe Ave, Bronx, NY Curator @giannilee On view September 5-28, 2025 ARTIST STATEMENT: At the heart of my creative process lies a commitment to researching and understanding the nuanced dynamics of human interaction with visual historical data, particularly from the perspective of a person of color. Exploring themes of representation across technological, linguistic, and social landscapes, my work seeks to offer alternative narratives that center marginalized communities. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences and collective histories, I employ various mediums and technologies to craft creative narratives that feel familiar and empowering to those often overlooked. Through my art, I aim to challenge dominant narratives, reclaim spaces, and amplify voices that have long been marginalized, enriching the cultural tapestry with diverse perspectives and stories. This approach ignites creativity and unveils a realm of fresh possibilities within my artistic practice. Rather than rigidly adhering to literal truth, my focus is on capturing emotional and atmospheric essence, drawing inspiration from the environments of artists’ past. Through adept use of modern media and diverse software, I craft narratives using tools that resonate with today’s audience while reclaiming and reinterpreting historical figures and spaces. By employing digital methods of creating, I dismantle entrenched power dynamics within traditional artworks, offering new perspectives on our visual culture and history. Through a blend of digital illustration, animation, and painting techniques, I seamlessly merge historical imagery with contemporary elements, creating compositions that transcend traditional boundaries and reveal the complexities of our collective past, present, and future. Brea has an upcoming show at the @bronxmuseum starting January 23, 2026. Learn more about the artist and curator at the link in our bio. #saveartspace

It's #HotPicksThursday! We're delighted to feature the work of Skip Brea @skipxd , an interdisciplinary Artist, Academic, and Residency Director in New York City. His research-based practice investigates the representations of Black and Brown cultures through digital image archival research centering painting and literature--and their accompanying narratives and mythologies. Brea began his practice as a painter and currently works with new modes of technology as the sector expands. Brea has exhibited with The Gadsden Museum of Art, Yonkers Arts Center, Working Method Contemporary Gallery, and more. His work is featured in private and public collections, including the James Baldwin Library at MacDowell, and he was one of the first recipients of the Dean Collection Grant. He recently finished residencies at MacDowell, Vermont Studio Center, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and was awarded the 44th AIM Fellowship through the Bronx Museum. He holds degrees from DePauw University and an MFA from Florida State University. Currently, he is the Visual Arts Professor & Residency Director at the New York Arts Program. Images: 1. Skip Brea, Twin, Where Have You Been, 2024, Animated Painting Collage on OLED Screen, Dimensions Variable (Detailed Still) 2. Skip Brea, With & Without, 2024, (Without Version) Dual Panel Animated Painting Collage on OLED Screens, Dimensions Variable (Detailed Still) 3. Skip Brea, O Captain, My Captain!, 2021, Animated Painting Collage on OLED Screen, Dimensions Variable (Detailed Still)

We Got One — A piece from my current Exhibition will be On View via Billboard in the Bronx. September 5 - 28th, 2025 E 177th St & Devoe Ave, Bronx, NY As a Bronx native, this moment feels deeply personal and profoundly full circle. To contribute to the arts in the very place where I spent so many of my formative childhood and teenage years is an incredible honor. From spray cans to paint tubes to new media animations, this has always been part of the vision —and it feels great to see that vision realized. Endless thanks to @giannilee for your unwavering support and belief in my work over the years. Your encouragement has meant more than words can capture. Big shout out to @aaronricketts_ for also believing in the vision years ago. Philly Fam 💪🏾 @trvsrx your dedication to creating unique spaces for artists is nothing short of vital. What you do is important, inclusive, and deeply needed—especially amidst the constant noise of the world. Ten years strong ! And congratulations to @masonfromblendini —it’s an honor to share this Postcards, Prophets, and Monuments edition of @saveartspace billboards with you. On View: September 5 - 28th, 2025 E 177th St & Devoe Ave, Bronx, NY

It’s finally available and the hiatus is over — This body of work has become a defining chapter in my artistic journey. I see it as my continued dialogue between art history, painting, and new media—an ongoing conversation that reflects both continuity and transformation as we look into the future of archiving and storytelling through different art forms. I believe it is important today now more than ever that we highlight what we find important; as artist and intellectuals as a gift to the field. This was very much so informed by the writings of John Berger as a continuation into my critiques and dialogue with Walter Benjamin. The pace of the world today is unrelenting, and in the span of multiple studios it has truly felt like a rollercoaster: balancing research, reflection, and the evolving demands of technology. Immersing myself in the canon of painting while engaging deeply with the diaspora has been both an honor and a privilege. The countless hours, sleepless nights, and relentless dedication invested in this practice are moments I would not trade—I am proud of what has emerged and grateful for the opportunities that have shaped this path. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to MacDowell and the Vermont Studio Center for providing the time and space to continue painting, researching, and expanding the vision of this project. Thank you as well to the Virginia Center for the Arts and to Yaddo, where this work transformed from paintings into animations. And finally, sincere gratitude to the Ross Art Museum for offering a platform and a space where this work can be experienced, reflected upon, and engaged with by patrons of all ages and classes. It is with great joy that I introduce Threads. For those interested in exploring the work further, a digital catalog is linked in my bio. And for my Midwest community—I look forward to celebrating together at the Ross Art Museum on September 18th, 2025.

Yaddo Pt. II — Thank you to @yaddotoday —the foundation, the staff, the admin team, and all the incredible artists I had the honor of sharing space with. I’m so grateful for the care, intention, and generosity that went into creating such a thoughtful environment. The time to pause, reflect, and dig deep with my practice and myself; it was all a true gift. I caught up on some reading, both for research and for joy, and left feeling inspired by the conversations, laughter, the presentations, the writing, and quiet moments shared. Holding it all with a full heart—and looking forward to carrying this momentum forward 🏌🏾‍♂️⛳️.