Oliver Braid: The Certainty of Insignificance

About

Oliver Braid lives in Glasgow. He decided to ‘become an artist’ in 1997, at the age of thirteen, after visiting Sensation: Young British Art from the Saatchi Collection. Recently fired three times in twelve months and described on Twitter as a sociopath The Certainty of Insignificance is an introduction and overview of seventeen years-worth of ideas and artworks from Oliver’s studio; offering, through its accumulation, a deeper understanding of the artist’s ‘idiosyncratic’ approaches to people, objects and artworks. In Oliver’s own words; “What began five years ago in response to Antagonism has developed into reflections on 20th Century concepts of self-expression and an exploration into 21st century concepts of objects; in order to more clearly consider ways of living now, in the century after The Century of the Self”.

Oliver Braid was born in Birmingham in 1984 and studied at Falmouth College of Arts and Glasgow School of Art. He has previous made solo presentations of his studio practice at Collective, Edinburgh (2011-12), The Royal Standard, Liverpool (2012) and Transmission, Glasgow (2013). Alongside the artist Ellie Harrison he co-hosted the Ellie & Oliver Show through CultureLab Radio (2012-14) and was a founding member of the experiential therapy group for artists, Artists Anonymous (2012).

Originally presented at Glasgow School of Art, 2014. Commissioned by GSA Exhibitions and funded by Outset Scotland in association with YPO for Alasdair Gray Season: Spheres of Influence II. The Certainty of Insignificance was additionally developed with assistance from a Creative Scotland Artist’s Bursary.