BRANDON RALPH
Raised by a single parent in a middle-class neighborhood on Long Island, NY, Brandon Ralph’s perspective was shaped by the juxtaposition of his mother’s unwavering belief in the American Dream and the harsh reality of growing up on welfare along with learning disabilities. Held back in grade school and placed in special education classes throughout the rest of his tenure, Ralph grappled with academic learning and exploring his early identity in a system that often felt inaccessible and unforgiving. Coupled with the loss of both parents within six months beginning at age eighteen, Ralph’s lack of financial resources forced him to drop out of New York University.
It was during this pivotal moment that Ralph’s past and present converged, revealing to him that America–while not always fair–remains a place of opportunity and possibility. With little to go on, but driven by the relentless American hustle, Ralph co-founded Code and Theory in 2001, which has since become one of the largest creative agencies in the world, and later served as the Chief Experience Officer for Equinox Fitness Clubs.
The intersection of adversity, personal loss, and professional achievement deeply informs Brandon Ralph’s inventive work and philosophy. As a contemporary artist, Ralph uses photography, sculpture, and drawing to explore the complexities of life and cultural coexistence within his projects, as embodied in The American Experiment; the concepts of time and space in Moon Landing; and the power of the female form set against an ever-evolving urban landscape in Rebirth of a City. Ralph’s art invites spectators to revisit and re-evaluate their experience through his own, offering a glimpse of how to persevere through life’s challenges with humor and irony, and creating a dialogue that reflects the intricacy of everyday existence.
Recent Awards & Recognition
25’ Art in Embassies, U.S. Expo Osaka Japan, Still American Flag
25’ Kuala Kumpur Photo Awards, Finalist “ The American Experiment”
25’ Berlin Photography Awards, Finalist “Moon Landing”
25’ Fine Art Photography Awards, Nominee “The American Vernacular”
25’ Fine Art Photography Awards, Nominee “Moon Landing”
25’ Communication Arts, Award of Excellence, “Rebirth of a City”
25’ AIAP, “Moon Landing”
25’ Graphis Photography Annual, Awarded Gold in Fine Art “Moon Landing”
25’ Monochrom Awards 3rd Prize & Honorable Mention “Moon Landing”
24’ Chelsea International Photography Competition, Honorable Mention, “Moon Landing”
24’ 19th Annual Spider Awards, Honorable Mention, Americana “Looking In” + “Privet”
24’ 19th Annual Spider Awards, Nominee, Abstract “Moon Landing”
24’ International Photo Awards, Honorable Mention, Fine Art: “Moon Landing”
24’ Center for Fine Art Photography, Words: “The American Experiment”
24’ AIAP, Official Selection: “The American Experiment”
23’ Monovisions Awards, Abstract: Honorable Mention
23’ International Photo Awards, Official selection in books: “ The American Experiment”
23’ American Photographic Artists, Best in Show: “Moon Landing”
23’ International Color Awards, Honorable Mention in Americana theme: “The American Experiment”
23’ Refocus Awards, Honorable Mention in abstract & nature: “Moon landing”
23’ Refocus Awards, Honorable Mention in Nude“reBirth of a City”
22’ Brand Ambassador for Leica Cameras
22’ One Eyeland Awards: #1 Photographer United States
22’ One Eyeland: #1 B+W Photograph United States, “Rebirth of a City Series”
22’ Spider Awards: 3rd Prize in Americana, “The American Experiment Series”
22’ Spider Awards: 2 Honorable Mentions & Nominees “The American Experiment Series”
22’ Spider Awards: 3 Nominees, “Rebirth of a City”
22’ The American Experiment Selected by The MOMA’s Book Store
Recent Shows
25’ Abstract Now, Ezra Gallery Group Show, Still America
25’ St Regis Presidential Suite, Still America
24’ Independent & Image Art Space China, Group Show Moon Landing
24’ A Portrait of America . RI Center for Photographic Art, Group Show
24’ The Corner Gallery, Andes America
24’ Glasgow, The Surreal Group Show: Moon Landing
23’ Château Gallery, Americana Group Show
23’ Maryland Federation of Art, Group Show
22’ Leica Galleries Global Show
22’ Art Week St. Barths, Solo Show
22’ Aspen Snow Lodge, Group Show
22’ Praxis Galley Minnesota, Group Show
18’ David Totah Polarities, Group Show