Biography
J. Lee Bertram-French is a mad and queer interdisciplinary artist who often works with painting. His work is about the intersection between loss, memory, and madness, and he has integrated activism into aspects of his work. He is a graduate from Etobicoke School of the Arts Contemporary Art (ESACA) program. He is currently in the process of earning his BFA in Drawing and Painting while minoring in Art and Social Change at OCAD University. His work has been exhibited at Albright Knox, Artscape Youngplace, and OCAD University. He was also awarded the Dorris McCarthy Scholarship in 2016. He lives and practices in Toronto, Canada.
Artist Statement
My work is about the intersection between loss, memory, and madness.
Loss is explored through the physical, such as loss through death and in social relationships; but also through the cerebral, like loss of cognitive capability, loss of memory, and loss of connection with the past.
Memory is important because it connects us to our pasts and to the people we care about. It also fails constantly. Our memories of events change an hour after they happen. Every time we remember something, it changes. When I dissociate, I stop creating memories.
Madness is one of the lenses I see the world through. It tints my memories and my understanding of my past, and has been known to erase periods of my life. It confuses me constantly, but it also allows me further understanding.
My work is an exploration of these themes and an effort to connect the dots in my understanding of past, present, and future.
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