2008 Woodie Awards
Visiting graphic design artist illustrates war weaponry
Kelly MacDonald, Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/14/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
His images incorporate photographs, symbols and words to create thought-provoking questions.
"I don't want to spell it all out for them," Brodeur said. "I want to give just enough to make them want to read what's next to it."
Brodeur acknowledged that his childhood fascination with models and later research on wars throughout history gave him a groundwork on which to build his body of work. Some of his pieces illustrate the amount of armor- piercing rounds certain military weapons project a minute.
Others layer photographic images with iconic symbols and digital graphics of military machinery. Brodeur's goal was to have, "something familiar with something terrible."
The pieces in his work are often created using tools from the computer programs Illustrator and Photoshop and are printed on large formatting printers with pigmented ink.
Gallery director and associate professor of art Scott Kolbo said that he wanted to have a digital artist as the featured artist at the Gallery because of the large graphic design program at Whitworth. Brodeur's media, often called "new media," is a growing art form that can be found in many contemporary galleries.
"We shoot for a wide variety of viewpoints," Kolbo said. "I wanted an artist that students could talk to."
His pieces have names such as, "Bushmaster Bush: the Dirty Family Secret" and "Highway of Death." He often obtains items included in his work from the Associated Press, the Department of Defense and war photographers.
Brodeur admits than he is opposed to the present war in Iraq but said his main goal is just to get people to talk about the situation and get the troops home safe.
"I see myself as an educator," Brodeur said. "Hopefully I'll generate some thought."
"I don't want to spell it all out for them," Brodeur said. "I want to give just enough to make them want to read what's next to it."
Brodeur acknowledged that his childhood fascination with models and later research on wars throughout history gave him a groundwork on which to build his body of work. Some of his pieces illustrate the amount of armor- piercing rounds certain military weapons project a minute.
Others layer photographic images with iconic symbols and digital graphics of military machinery. Brodeur's goal was to have, "something familiar with something terrible."
The pieces in his work are often created using tools from the computer programs Illustrator and Photoshop and are printed on large formatting printers with pigmented ink.
Gallery director and associate professor of art Scott Kolbo said that he wanted to have a digital artist as the featured artist at the Gallery because of the large graphic design program at Whitworth. Brodeur's media, often called "new media," is a growing art form that can be found in many contemporary galleries.
"We shoot for a wide variety of viewpoints," Kolbo said. "I wanted an artist that students could talk to."
His pieces have names such as, "Bushmaster Bush: the Dirty Family Secret" and "Highway of Death." He often obtains items included in his work from the Associated Press, the Department of Defense and war photographers.
Brodeur admits than he is opposed to the present war in Iraq but said his main goal is just to get people to talk about the situation and get the troops home safe.
"I see myself as an educator," Brodeur said. "Hopefully I'll generate some thought."
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