Rogan Brown’s art looks like a kind of fungal growth or bacterial culture. If it does so, it’s not at all surprising. The likeness of his art to naturally organic forms is deliberate and is inspired by scientific illustrations and models. However, his extremely delicate and incredibly detailed relief sculptures are all made out of cut paper!
On the website, medinart.eu, Brown states, “My work is an exploration and re-presentation of natural organic forms, both mineral and vegetal. I look for patterns and repeated motifs that run through natural phenomena at different scales, from the microscopic to the macroscopic, from individual cells to large-scale geological formations.” It’s artist-scientists, such as Ernst Haeckel and other paper sculpture artists that inspire him.
Brown uses paper, that’s either hand-cut or laser cut, to create his microbiome art that not only includes living and dead life forms, but also geological and meteorological phenomena. His works include multiple visual references, such as cells, cloud formations, fossils, insects, microbes, organs and orifices of the human body, and suchlike entities. But, before he puts scissors to paper, he makes detailed ‘scientific’ preparatory drawings, after careful observation of forms, using his fertile imagination.
Brown’s work is not easy. Painstakingly arranging cut paper into these complex designs is backbreaking work, so much so, that some of his cut pieces take up to five months to complete. Little wonder his works display surreal quality and unusual chimerical beauty.
Brown did his BA from Goldsmiths’ College, London University, UK and MA from QMW College from the same university. It was his undying passion that prompted him to pursue this unique form of art. In no time, he was making his mark in the art world.
In 2013, Brown won the Best Installation award and was adjudged the ‘Emerging Artist of the Year award in 2014 by the National Open Art competition. Since then, he has gone global and has exhibited his works in Europe, China, and the USA. He was also one among the international artists, designers, and architects that figure in the book, ‘Postdigital Artisans’.
Rogan brown magic circle, Rogan brown magic circle variation, and Rogan brown microbiome are some of his popular works.
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