THE ART OF DISARM

For the first time in Dubai, multidisciplinary artist Bran will showcase his artworks and history at the vernissage "The Art Of Disarm" on Thursday, May 23rd 7-10 pm to Art in Space location, on the Boulevard. Bran’s strong symbolic message centers on disarming weapons, using the AK-47 as his primary canvas.

His artwork addresses environmental and civil rights issues, exploring the juxtaposition of war, gun violence, life, and beauty. One striking example is an AK-47 covered in delicate butterflies, highlighting the dichotomy between aggression and fragility. Bran's anti-war message is conveyed through his use of a particularly aggressive medium—disarmed weapons from conflict zones.

2024 has been a remarkable year for Bran, with his works now featured in the Royal Armouries Museum as part of the RE:LOADED exhibition. Throughout history, guns have been embellished, plated in gold, and encrusted with diamonds, used as aesthetic objects of art and symbols of peace, love, and diplomacy. This thought-provoking pop-up exhibition challenges us to reconsider the symbolism of guns.

Born in London in 1971, Bran began his career in the late 1990s, assisting renowned photographers such as Gavin Bond, David LaChapelle, and Nadav Kander. During his photography career, Bran joined the British Army, and in 2006, he passed the selection process for the UK Special Forces Reserves. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007.

The Sunday Times later commissioned Bran to return to Afghanistan as a civilian photographer, leading to his first critically acclaimed exhibition, "The Best View of Heaven is from Hell." This project inspired Bran’s first AK-47 sculpture, created in London, drawing from portraits of young frontline soldiers who decorated their weapons with stickers and flowers.

Bran’s transformation of the world's most prolific weapon into a canvas for art exemplifies his mission: "Taking something of fear and loathing and creating it into something beautiful and intriguing." Brans last solo exhibitions have all been a sell out success his artworks are collected internationally by avid art enthusiasts and notable figures such as Sir Elton John, the Prince of Bahrain, and Dana White (UFC).

Host or Publisher Art in Space