Los Angeles-based artists Alexis Branger and Devin Andersen form the collaborative practice ABDA Collective. Alexandra (Alexis) Branger, born 1989, is a first-generation Los Angeles native with roots in Colombia and Venezuela with a BFA in Industrial Design from Otis College of Art & Design. Devin Andersen, born 1989, is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a BFA in Fine Arts Painting, from Otis College of Art & Design.
How did you get into art?
Art has been a formidable part of both of our lives since childhood.
(Alexis) Since I was about five years old I began drawing self portraits in the mirror at my sister's job in a film developing shop. After seeing my interest in art, my sister had the idea to place me in local art classes to develop the different skills and techniques that would lead to my eventual art practice.
(Devin) Growing up, my aunt was a scenic artist, painting theater backdrops, faux finishes and murals. My father was also a sketch artist so at a young age I was pretty familiar with artistic expression and I knew art was what I wanted to do with my life.
How would you describe your style? What makes your art special?
Stylistically our work pulls from many different eras, modes and classifications of art making. It is an eclectic blend of historical knowledge, technique, preference and opinion. Our textural abstractions tend to riff off of our background in scenic painting and carpentry while our more traditionally framed paintings take influence from painterly expressionism, collage and post-vandalism.
How do you go about developing your work?
Every series or project is a bit different when it comes to development, typically the process starts with one of us having an idea and then pitching it to the other. Once we've agreed on the material, scale and technique of the series we begin digital sketches, pulling from our photocopied shape library and visual lexicon.
Who or what influences you?
(Alexis) My influence comes from my Latin American background. Specifically, the landscapes, vivid textiles of local artisans, the historical architecture, plants and music. I take inspiration from artists such as Clyfford Still, Helen Frankenthaler, Agostino Iacurci and Designers such as Charles and Ray Eames and Alex Proba.
(Devin) I am influenced by tons of internationally known artists including Urs Fischer, Philip Guston, Peter Saul, Neigel Cooke, Thomas Hirschhorn and Gerhard Richter. The Los Angeles art scene has also been a significant inspiration for me in recent years with artists like Alex Andrew Sanchez, Jacky Perez, Daniela Soberman and many others. I am also heavily influenced by chaotic musical-noise compositions and everyday fixes such as patched concrete or buffed graffiti.
What are you planning to do next?
Currently we are upping the scale of our artworks and launching our tufting, home goods and production arts business. We work in the commercial and film industry as well as in the fine arts milieu, so we are very excited to be combining the two worlds into one unified practice.
Instagram
