Image: The view from outside Juliane’s studio at The Mill, 2024, photograph Bri Hammond.
Juliane Brandt is a figurative sculpture artist working with charred wood and clay. Her sculptures showcase the transformation originating from an ever-changing environment and the rejuvenating forces of nature. Her burned pieces of wood depict figurative emotions, embracing diversity through the interaction between nature and humans.
How would you describe your practice in 5 words?
Unique
Imaginative
Detailed
Abstract
Engaging
What are your key inspirations?
Our environment, the adaptability of nature as well as how we as humans interact with each other and our environment, is a constant inspiration to me. It is intertwined in all my work and reflects the ways we are all shaped—by nature, by time, and by one another. Humanising abstract forms became my passion, following the appreciation of nature’s life cycle and our influence on the landscape. As an artist, I want to connect both aspects by bringing together two materials—clay and charred wood—to depict how humans and nature continue to evolve together.
Why have you pursued a creative career?
Being born in Berlin, Germany, which is regarded as a creative hub, I was drawn to different creative forms from childhood and my career naturally steered in this direction. I knew – I do something well if I enjoy it. However, my studies taught me that life as an artist is challenging and I was motivated to follow a creative career to make a living. I studied graphic design in London, and for several years I earned an income as a creative there. Throughout my days in the industry, I found that a creative career also comes with creative freedom and because it’s so broad, it allows many different pathways, so I naturally kept engaged in different art forms to express myself.
How have you arrived at this point in your practice?
After working in the corporate world for many years, I felt a need to shift my focus away from the computer. I longed to create things I love without fitting a client’s brief. The difference between a creative job and an artist became very clear. Being surrounded by creative people still grounds me, there is so much talent out there and while professionally I need to compare myself with others to keep up, it also fuels the ambition to create something artistic and unique for myself. The process was initially slow and took time, patience, studies, travelling, experience and much more. Eventually, I was able to acknowledge myself as an artist and was confident enough to show my personal work. Once I reached that point, I started to think about it as an artistic practice.
What are your career aspirations for the future?
Having lived in different countries, I truly appreciate the focus on art in South Australia and would like to contribute to the creative wealth. I find South Australia a very welcoming place for artists with room for growth. Knowing that support is vital for artists, I simply wish to keep creating, because without people’s appreciation for art, we would lose our identity.
Images: Juliane Brandt, Unfolding, 2024, charred wood, ceramic, metal, photograph courtesy the artist; Juliane Brandt, Jugglers, 2024, wooden juggling sticks (partly charred), ceramic, photograph courtesy the artist.