#112: Brody Condon

The Berlin based artist Brody Condon (b. Mexico 1974) facilitates and documents game-like group encounters that experientially probe the individual, material, and political ramifications of dissociative phenomena. The works are often made in collaboration with researchers, craftspeople, and public participants.

We look forward to Brody Conlon’s screening focusing on short edits of documentation from past durational sessions combining live action role playing (LARP) and group therapeutic techniques, with a personal introduction by the artist:

Future Gestalt (2012), 15:00 min 
Experiential psychotherapy sessions set in the near future, facilitated by a sculptural entity embodied within the crystal inspired polygonal monument Smoke, by Tony Smith from 1967. 

Level Five (2009-2016), 15:00 min
A two day live action role playing (LARP) event that investigates the ideological legacy of controversial mass self-actualization seminars from 1970s America.

Zeigarnik Effect (2015), 15:00 min
An unscripted small group encounter led by a sentient sculptural entity, revolving around what the psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik described as intrusive thoughts about an objective that was once pursued and left incomplete. 

Four Sessions (2014), 15:00 min.
Modified gestalt therapy sessions with Korean “Intangible Cultural Treasures,” focused on an object relevant to the craftpersons’ process: an unfinished pearl inlay bowl holding a past trauma, a forgotten tool, traditional drum reverberations, or the internal states of shamanic channeling.

Condon’s artworks and events have been presented at the Athens Biennale (2018), Berlin Biennale (2016), Stroom den Haag (2016), MoMA/PS1 Greater New York (2010), Hammer Museum (2010), New Museum/Performa (2009), Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (2007), Whitney Biennial (2004), among many others. 

Condon studied at University of California at San Diego and the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, and was an adjunct professor at UC San Diego and UC Irvine. He has given lectures and workshops at institutions internationally such as Yale, RCA Stockholm, RCA London, Hammer Museum, School of Visual Arts, The New School, Columbia University, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Carnegie Mellon, MoMA, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, Konsthalle Skövde, and Portland Institute of Contemporary Art.