Jonathan Brand spent most of his childhood working on cars with his dad. When he was finally old enough to drive one himself, he undertook a car collector's dream project: a 1969 Mustang. At some point during the vehicle's transformation from rust to riches, Jonathan fell in love, and started to reconsider his dream.

"This project became closely linked to my emerging ideals and consumed my focus....I began to question my own estimation of value," explains Jonathan. "We know that an object only has a value that is put onto it..."

The Brooklyn-based, Canadian-born artist will explore these questions in his upcoming exhibition at the Hosfelt Gallery, but first he'll answer a few of ours:

What is it about movable objects that inspire you as an artist?

The idea of control and escape. I've always moved around a lot and have never felt like I was in control of my destination. It's also a product of living in a city, and New York especially; there is very little space and your movements within this space are quite controlled.

How do you get around?

I used to ride my bike a lot, and my previous body of work was based on my childhood BMX bike—but both my bikes were stolen when my studio was broken into a year ago, and I've never replaced them. The subway is pretty reliable and expedient but it removes the chance of coming across or discovering things.

What mode of transportation will you take on next?

I'm currently working on a previous project—I planned to build a sailboat to sail home to Canada along the North Atlantic coast; a prospect both terrifying and absurd for someone who has never sailed. The water for me is incomprehensible vastness and the boat a self-constructed vehicle of control and freedom.

"One for Another" opens on October 25th at the Hosfelt Gallery, located at 430 Clementina Street; 415.495.5454.

-Meredith Chamberlain

Similar Topics:art, artist, gallery, san francisco

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