Brett Chan

By Niall Roeder.

Brett Chan is a man working on all frequencies. He’s a talented and eclectic multi media artist and tripper questioning the fractal nature of our existence and challenging the complexities of human nature. He’s a kiwi born skater now residing in Bondi, and is one of the players in Sydney’s solid art scene. He’s an interesting fellow and like it or not, his rhetoric will expand your mind in one-way or another. I caught up with him to find out what goes on inside his cranium.

What’s the Brett Chan story?

This is a story of one man’s journey through multiple dimensions, to battle good over evil. I made a film and album romanticising such a life. I named that project ENTRANCES & EXITS.

If someone held a gun to my head and told me to describe your art, I reckon I’d nervously spit “abstract fractal and inner-city pattern”. How would you describe your art?

My next show at China Heights is called COMPLEX/SIMPLICITY. So that.

Hang on… I wrote another meaning in my flip phone the other night… “It’s the concept, not the construct”. I’m into the idea in the thing, and not necessarily the technical skill or craft. It’s kid art. If a kid explains their drawings they all make sense, but they look fucked up to the logical mind, with the sea in the sky or a big yellow blob, that represents the pizza they just ate.

But yeah, everything is fractal. Fractals are the buildings blocks for our dimension.

A photo posted by Brett Chan (@brettchanyes) on Jan 31, 2016 at 2:13pm PST

You’re not just a painter, you make music, film, sculpture – do you have a favourite medium?

Well, I like directing. George Lucas said that all directors are just “artist who want to see the world in an order that style they can understand”. I’m paraphrasing. I guess that he means “vision”.

Just for the record too, George Lucas’ prequels for Star Wars are so far advanced that people have yet to understand them. It’s a bandwagon thing for people to discredit them. They are representative of the times we live in now. Too many people crave nostalgia because there is comfort and familiarity in that.

“So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause” – George Lucas.

A photo posted by Brett Chan (@brettchanyes) on Jan 5, 2016 at 5:03pm PST

Which past and present artists inspire you and why?

I like Gallileo, as he went against the norm at the time.

I also like Cincent Gallo. I saw BUFFALO 66 at an art house cinema when it came out.

I like Moses because that is the name I use when I order a juice or something.

I like Ian Brown because he merged the cosmic and the sonic.

I like John Lennon cause he spoke the truth. He was the truth.

George Carlin. Bill Hicks. Paul Mooney. Ricky Gervais. I like comedians. They are truth sayers. I could just keep listing cool c**** forever. But it’s a finite list, so not really. 

Which Sydney artists are pushing the envelope?

I see some young skater kids with home made t-shirts or grip tape art around Bondi. I like that sorta stuff. Some one stuck up glitter “you are awesome” stickers or “ I love you”, and I like those too. To be honest I don’t really follow art. My mate, James Coe, writes epic short stories that are weirdly dark, but are just like real life. He would probably be bummed that I mentioned it.

A photo posted by Brett Chan (@brettchanyes) on Nov 9, 2015 at 5:39pm PST

What’s the state of the Sydney art scene?

One of my songs’ (DMTASTIC) chorus is “anyone who ever did anything of any worth, was considered crazy within their own time”, and I feel that any human who fits that is cool by me. We probably need more of that. I also use the line “far out, just isn’t far out enough”, and I feel that is valid too. We are losing our roots as beings are human.

Would you rather go for a beer with David Choe, Hunter S. Thompson or Keith Richards, and why?

When I painted THE LUCKY BEE restaurant in NYC, I bought my bird a Keefy t-shirt, so him.

Hunter’s not here anymore.

I don’t know who David Choe is and I’m not googling him to find out.

David Icke maybe. David Lee Roth?

Oh I also like that guy Jacques Frescno. Have you seen his stuff? He is still alive. These guys should be listened to while they are still alive. He has good ideas. Ideas are what I find important. Ideas are what progress our civilisation.

 Have you got any current shows or shows coming up? 

Yes. March 18. China Heights. Sydney, Australia.