Statement

My art is about the people I love: my family, friends, and the connections that shape who I am. Through painting, sculpture, and installation, I explore how we form bonds with each other and how these relationships define my sense of belonging and identity.

My process is experimental and playful. I work with whatever materials feel right: paint, metal, fabric, found objects, family heirlooms, even worn clothing. These materials carry their own histories, and I use them to capture something essential about the people I'm depicting. Sometimes I'll paint portraits with bold colors and expressive brushstrokes. Other times I'll weld metal sculptures or create installations that incorporate personal objects that hold memories.

My work investigates how we hold onto our histories and how those histories shape who we are. The personal is political for me, especially as a person of color. I feel a responsibility to represent and honor people from marginalized communities and to show how our everyday lives and relationships hold deeper meaning. I believe art can be a catalyst for reflection and social change.

At the same time, my work is closely tied to my spiritual background and serves as a way to venerate the people in my life; honoring those connections in the past while nurturing the ones that exist in the present. Much of my recent work reflects on grief, mortality, and the loss of relationships. I want my art to serve as a reminder for us of our inherent connections to each other, and to serve as a reflection of my heart.

About Me

Traé Brooks is an interdisciplinary artist based in Providence, RI. Originally from Windsor, CT. Earning a Bachelor's Degree in fine art from the University of Hartford in 2019, his work explores familial relationships, spirituality, and the collective experience by utilizing various mediums, such as painting, sculpture, metal fabrication, and installation. Throughout the years, he has participated group exhibitions and solo shows as well as residencies and fellowship programs like The Farmington Valley Arts Center (Avon, CT), The Steel Yard (Providence, RI) and briefly served as a board member and chair of Curatorial at the Windsor Art Center (Windsor, CT). Currently, Brooks contributes to the arts community as a security guard at the RISD Museum.