Fanny Brodar’s art is a collision of the 1970s and the 2000s. It is an animated tapestry of memories from childhood, present day pop culture, and the future. Bright colors, child-like marks, and scribbled words invite the viewer to delve deeper into their own nostalgia while also questioning what is real and what is make believe.
Her muppet-like characters evolved from an escape from a traumatic childhood and represent the many emotions of a child. Her work also has a deeper meaning inspired by her interest in child psychology. It is common for adults to forget earlier hardship and hold on to happier memories in order to survive. The artist’s faux naïf paintings lure the viewer into her made-up and magical world that she held on to, like her childhood bedroom that became whatever she wanted simply by thinking it up. Further, she builds on the nostalgic associations of the audience by building an emotional tension through the use of bright and dark colors and cartoonish characters.
Fanny studied illustration and has a BFA from The Art Institute of Boston. Her background as an illustrator shows in her work. She is influenced by the playful works of Japanese art, as well as the works of artists like Rose Wylie. She was born in 1971 in Oslo, Norway, grew up in New York, and currently lives and works in Maine. She’s been in a few shows, and her work is held in private collections in the US and abroad.