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Sam Brown’s drawings are an acquired taste, to be sure. But what initially seems inane is in fact often humbly poignant. And sometimes, it’s truly brilliant.

Hey Blair… What is software?

Some of the technical / engineering types that frequent this blog cannot handle a bit of ambiguity.

Sam’s drawings are great, and I’m not the last one to think that way.

Cheers.

I’ve loved Sam’s work for a while now. His work always has such a striking emotional element to it. “I want to be faster” is a perfect example and a personal favorite of mine. It’s a simple drawing, but the visuals are so striking and the idea so profound. Who hasn’t felt like that poor snail?

The drawings get across their idea perfectly without hitting you over the head with too much detail and with just the right amount of abstraction to get you thinking.

Good work.

I don’t get these drawings at all.

To each his own… Takes all kinds… Beauty is in the eye…blah blah

But seeing art like this classified as “brilliant” makes me shake my head in wonder.

Fun…OK. Different…sure. Pioneering…by an adult, I guess so. Brilliant…Yikes.

I think having an “acquired taste” for a certain type of art or a certain artist is simply looking at something until you decide it’s wonderful because you’re told to think it’s wonderful.

Some people feel you have to “learn” what art is or is not, but that is contrary to the very definition of art as visual communication.

And no disrespect to Mr. Brown. That is not my intention.

To clarify (in hopes of not having any more of my comments removed):

My suggestion for a title is, “I don’t feel welcome here.”

@CJ I think having an “acquired taste” for a certain type of art or a certain artist is simply looking at something until you decide it’s wonderful because you’re told to think it’s wonderful.

Do you think that applies to food too? Or music? Haven’t you bought an album where your favourite song from it changes over time?

Interesting comments on Brown’s work as an “acquired” taste. I would have said something more along the lines of “work where the title is central to understanding, or misunderstanding, of the piece”. Mr Brown so regularly identifies what a viewer might expect from the title, and then inverts that expectation with a subtle twist in the drawing.

prime examples are to be found looking at any from last year on his site that are to do (presumably) with relationships/breakups – they appear to be the tags one uses escaping a relationship – but Mr Brown doesn’t often think that.

his work is excellent, do keep checking his site.

Mathew:

Should have qualified my statement a little better…

Our tastes change over time with anything, and art is no exception. You make a good point about music…in my experience, the more I listen to an album the more I like it until I get sick of it.

But my point is that I bought the album in the first place. I don’t buy death metal music in the hopes that I’ll be enlightened by it.

I find this drawings to be truly refreshing. I’d seen one before, but I thought it was just the work of some random guy on the web – not part of a collection. (It was a pic of a guy and a girl and the caption was “you said you’d never hurt me” – or something to that effect).

What I really like about them are that they’re a) visually simple yet b) convey potent ideas/emotions. Good stuff.

Maybe a Children of Men parody?

vigilance and diligence

Frank- I agree with how Sam Brown often takes lines that would refer to relationships and makes it something completely different, and yet still relative to the comment.

i have been an avid fan of exploding dog for quite a while, and always enjoy seeing the updated work. i think saying his work is an “acquired” taste is often true because it takes a few different pictures to first be able to understand what he is doing. i have sent pictures to friends and at first often say they do not understand it, but upon looking at several they begin to see his angle and become avid fans as well.

when viewing an artist for the first time i often suggest to look at multiple pieces before making a decision. If one was to judge Jackson Pollock simply by “number 15” as opposed to a collection that would include “gothic”, “male and female” and/or “the moon woman” then this person would not be in full understanding of Pollocks work and could potentionally cast off a reputable artist quickly.

I love Exploding Dog. Sam Brown, you’re great!

Thanks! \o/