Brian Bress, Chefs #4

THIRD LEVEL

Brian Bress

Brian Bress is the creative force behind Chefs #4, a beguilingly whimsical installation that bridges the gap between video and film on the one hand, and painting and photography on the other. Based out of Los Angeles, Bress has been featured in group and solo exhibitions in such locations as Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Salt Lake City, Geneva and Rome.
In Chef’s #4, each of three wall-mounted HD monitors is framed like a painting and inhabited by one of a trio of cartoon-like chefs. As they draw in synchronicity on their monitor’s glass, they often gaze directly at the viewer–a tacit invitation to enter their world of childlike possibility.
Despite the work’s playfulness, from the doughy cooks to the roller-coaster drawn in sticks, its creation is a meticulous and painstaking exercise. As the fourth chef himself, Bress dons costumes and performs in the shallow sets mounted and filmed in his studio. Speaking of his inspiration, the artist has said: “I enjoy imagining a world where the most unlikely of things come to life.” A catchy enjoyment, certainly, because to view Chef’s #4 is to have a jolly taste of where unfettered imagination can transport you.