Wood-Rendered Iconography

Lisa Brawn takes familiar figures from pop culture and casts them in a whole new mold. There have been plenty of illustrations, digital renderings, photographs, even oil paintings and sculptures of famous people over the years; still, there has been a conspicuous lack of woodcuts.

Century-old Douglas Fir beams would probably make for poor construction material but apparently, judging by Brawn's work, they make great canvases. Whether it is the late but not-so-great Kim Jong Il, the endearing, if slightly belligerent Fonz, or the much renowned Dali Lama, Brawn's subjects are rendered in wood.

Pop culture-inspired art is effective at forming connections with a large audience due to the wide appeal of its subject matter. However, because there is so much art covering the same topic, it can be difficult for artists to articulate a original voice. Brawn doesn't seem to have this problem though.