BRANDON GRAVES
Brandon Graves, born May 15, 1982, in Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland Ohio. He grew up enjoying drawing different things, his favorite to draw was the architecture of houses and Spider-Man. As he got older, he grew out of drawing. His environment changed and he was exposed to hardships and the influence of the community which later led him to imprisonment. While incarcerated, Brandon discovered art again while deciding to draw a book cover for a book he was writing. It changed his life! Now, Brandon creates art for a living, also helping kids to stay on the right path. “God makes no mistakes. Never stop! Never give up!”
BRANDON GRAVES
Chains to Change: Unlocking The Vision
explore the theme
For everyone. For you.
By all of us. Join us.
Chains to Change: Unlocking The Vision
Brandon Graves
the artist's inspiration
I had to reimagine myself. And in doing so, I learned that no matter how bad things are, you can pick your life right back up. I was buried for years and I thought it was over. But I’m here. You’re reading this – I’m alive.
Chains to Change: Unlocking the Vision tells the story of my life, travelling though struggle to triumph. It is told through scenes of a film, tracing through the landscape of its context.
At the center of the story is me making a breakthrough, straight through a brick wall. In one direction, behind me, the film unravels to show my past. I had a dark past and made some bad choices that saw me end up in jail for seven years. I was never violent, but lived in poverty and wanted to make some money. I would pray to survive that experience, just wishing the days away.
But then I discovered I could paint. I had been writing a book about my life to keep busy and needed a cover, so I painted it. That was the beginning of a whole new story. I started drawing tattoos for people, in exchange for food in jail. It was like “Whoa – I didn’t know I could this!” and it became a way to survive in jail through giving me purpose. I even started drawing portraits for my boys in jail of their girlfriends.
CAPITOL PARK, detroit
june 2024
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
The film takes you through that journey of beginning to practice art and moments in prison. Then you’ll see the moment of release and how this discovery of creativity and art gave me a whole new way to live. Art took over. I created art for the community, I connected with young people around my experience and shared ways they could use art to take control of their lives. I was even recognized by the city and council members for my work.
And then the film accelerates into the future, projecting futuristically all of my future goals and ideals. The scientists study what I want in life and how I want to help change things in life. What is the best I can do as a human being here on planet earth. It works through the future in digitized, pixellated form until the pixels fall away into a familiar space: me in a classroom, explaining my story to young people as a way to pass on what I learned, so they don’t have to learn it the hard way that I did.
But I don’t regret it. Everything you go through, makes you.
Art made me invincible. It gave me freedom even before I was free. It gave me a new way to see myself and my future. And though I don’t know exactly what it looks like yet, I know I want to radiate opportunity. I want to help people. I want to feel alive. Art has given me that power, reimagined.
BRANDON’s “If I Could Tell You Just One Thing…”
Don’t regret anything that happened in your life. Everything you go through, makes you. Regret is a barrier to learning and moving forward. Dust yourself off and keep going. Look back to learn, but not for too long, because life happens in front of you, not behind you.
The film takes you through that journey of beginning to practice art and moments in prison. Then you’ll see the moment of release and how this discovery of creativity and art gave me a whole new way to live. Art took over. I created art for the community, I connected with young people around my experience and shared ways they could use art to take control of their lives. I was even recognized by the city and council members for my work.
And then the film accelerates into the future, projecting futuristically all of my future goals and ideals. The scientists study what I want in life and how I want to help change things in life. What is the best I can do as a human being here on planet earth. It works through the future in digitized, pixellated form until the pixels fall away into a familiar space: me in a classroom, explaining my story to young people as a way to pass on what I learned, so they don’t have to learn it the hard way that I did.
But I don’t regret it. Everything you go through, makes you.
Art made me invincible. It gave me freedom even before I was free. It gave me a new way to see myself and my future. And though I don’t know exactly what it looks like yet, I know I want to radiate opportunity. I want to help people. I want to feel alive. Art has given me that power, reimagined.
.
BRANDON’s “If I Could Tell You Just One Thing…”
Don’t regret anything that happened in your life. Everything you go through, makes you. Regret is a barrier to learning and moving forward. Dust yourself off and keep going. Look back to learn, but not for too long, because life happens in front of you, not behind you.
THEME
ME REIMAGINED
Change starts with and within each of us. Me Reimagined is an invitation to reimagine who we want to be and the impact we can have. No matter our starting point, what becomes possible if we step into the spirit of transformative solidarity?
THEME
me reIMAGINED
Change starts with and within each of us. Me Reimagined is an invitation to reimagine who we want to be and the impact we can have. No matter our starting point, what becomes possible if we step into the spirit of transformative solidarity?
explore the theme
the artist's inspiration
I had to reimagine myself. And in doing so, I learned that no matter how bad things are, you can pick your life right back up. I was buried for years and I thought it was over. But I’m here. You’re reading this – I’m alive.
Chains to Change: Unlocking the Vision tells the story of my life, travelling though struggle to triumph. It is told through scenes of a film, tracing through the landscape of its context.
At the center of the story is me making a breakthrough, straight through a brick wall. In one direction, behind me, the film unravels to show my past. I had a dark past and made some bad choices that saw me end up in jail for seven years. I was never violent, but lived in poverty and wanted to make some money. I would pray to survive that experience, just wishing the days away.
But then I discovered I could paint. I had been writing a book about my life to keep busy and needed a cover, so I painted it. That was the beginning of a whole new story. I started drawing tattoos for people, in exchange for food in jail. It was like “Whoa – I didn’t know I could this!” and it became a way to survive in jail through giving me purpose. I even started drawing portraits for my boys in jail of their girlfriends.
PURPOSE
in our relationship with ourselves.
WORTHINESS
I am worthy of love dignity and respect.
AWARENESS
I know how I see the world and where it comes from.
BELIEF
I believe I have something valuable to offer.
PURPOSE
I know what inspires me and what I want to do.
For everyone. For you. By all of us. Join us.
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
BRANDON
Brandon Graves, born May 15, 1982, in Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland Ohio. He grew up enjoying drawing different things, his favorite to draw was the architecture of houses and Spider-Man. As he got older, he grew out of drawing. His environment changed and he was exposed to hardships and the influence of the community which later led him to imprisonment. While incarcerated, Brandon discovered art again while deciding to draw a book cover for a book he was writing. It changed his life! Now, Brandon creates art for a living, also helping kids to stay on the right path. “God makes no mistakes. Never stop! Never give up!”
