Steve Brudniak
Introduction '''Steve Brudniak''' (born April 9, 1961, Topeka, Kansas) is an American artist, actor, filmmaker and musician. Known for highly crafted and unusual assemblage sculpture, his visual art career spans nearly four decades. His music, acting and filmmaking endeavors emerged during childhood escalating professionally in recent years. Brudniak spent his elementary and high school years in Houston, Texas eventually moving to Austin, Texas, where he currently lives.
Art Brudniak's art incorporates, often pioneering, unconventional media and scientific elements such as high voltage electricity, Tesla coil technology, magnetic ferrofluid, gyro mechanics, biological preservations, fiber optics, and lasers.He integrates disparate found objects in the construction of his art, however the finished pieces do not resemble collage. The assemblages generally give the appearance of being functional machines or ritualistic objects that are indivisibly "of a piece," albeit of indiscernible origin and purpose. Spirituality, psychology, and biology are common themes in his work. ''Noumenon Objectifying in Four Parts''2005, assemblage with emanating reflection optical lens,48” x 19” x 6” (collection of Dr. Donovan and Catarina Sigerfoos, Austin, Texas)In 2008 his ''Astrogeneris Mementos'' became the first assemblage sculptures exhibited in outer space, taken aboard the International Space Station by entrepreneur and astronaut Richard Garriott.During the 1980s Brudniak was an active member of the Houston Alternative Art scene, working from several studios in the historical Heights neighborhood and represented by four different galleries during this time. In 1988 he moved to his Bouldin Creek, Austin, Texas art studio in Austin, Texas continuing to produce art that has been exhibited in over 100 gallery and museum exhibitions.Brudniak's work is included in the collections of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The San Antonio Museum of Art, the El Paso Museum of Art, and The Art Museum of South Texas at Corpus Christi. He is currently represented by the Davis Gallery in Austin, Texas.His Treatise, ''Saving Beauty: The Painful Rebirthing of Visual Aesthetic in Contemporary Art'', is a scolding commentary on the diminishing importance of visual beauty and craft in postmodern, contemporary art.
Art Books and Documentaries The monograph, ''The Science of Surrealism - Assemblage Sculpture of Steve Brudniak'' was published in 2013 documenting thirty years of the artist's career in photos, essays and commentary. It was edited by Anjali Gupta, with a foreword by Guillermo del Toro. Books and documentaries featuring Brudniak's work are listed in the bibliography below.
Acting and Film Brudniak began acting in and directing his own short films at the age of 13 and has appeared in dozens of films, notably Richard Linklater's Waking Life and Robert Rodriguez ''Red 11''; in video production and television shows including the Reelz Channels ''Murder Made Me Famous'', AMC's ''The Son'' and El Rey Network's ''Rebel Without a Crew''. In 2009 he produced, acted in and co-directed Eric Frodsham's ''Moments The Go'' feature film. He has appeared in advertising for Texas Tourism, Capital One, Indian Motorcycle, Cox Business and others. (Filmography Below)''The Vagus Leviathan'',Steve Brudniak, 2008,assemblage with photograph, fiber optic lens and kinetic mechanism,50” x 21” x 6” (Collection of John Little)
Music In 1976 he and guitar player Gerry Diaz formed the psychedelic rock group Spiny Normen and recorded an album at the Alvin Community College which was released decades later on RidingEasy Records in 2018.In 1981 he opened the Victorian Recording Studio in Houston, recording many of Houston's alternative, metal, folk, skate and punk groups. He also recorded and performed in several bands there and later in Austin. He continues to record with Diaz in an experimental effort called Psylobison, playing theremin and Wavetech sound wave generator. (Discography Below)
Bibliography Bunch, Robert Craig, ''The Art of Found Objects: Interviews with Texas Artists''. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2016.Chemeketa College Art Faculty. ''Art for Everyone'', Salem, Oregon: Chemeketa Press, 2016.Gupta, Anjali ed., ''The Science of Surrealism - Assemblage Sculpture of Steve Brudniak.'' Austin TX: Merrid Zone, 2013Brenner, Wayne Alan. Minerva’s Wreck: ''Austin Arts Anthology'', Austin TX: Café Armageddon, 2010.Branwyn, Gareth. ''Device Volume 2: Reconstructed'', San Diego, CA: IDW Publishing, July 2009.Reese, Becky Duval. ''Texas 100: Selections from the El Paso Museum of Art'', El Paso, TX: El Paso Museum of Art Foundation, 2006.Otten, William G. and Michelle W. Locke. ''The Legacy Continues'', Corpus Christi, TX: Art Museum of South Texas, 2006.Morton, Jennifer. ''Belong: A TV Journalist's Search for Urban Culture: from Beirut to Bamako, from Havana to Ho Chi Minh City: Stories and Photos.'' Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Insomniac Press, 2004.Greene, Alison de Lima. ''Texas: 150 Works from the Museum of Fine Arts''. NY, NY: Harry N. Abrams, October 1, 2000.Hendricks, Patricia D. and Becky Duval Reese. ''A Century of Sculpture in Texas 1889-1989.'' Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1989.McEvilley, Thomas. ''Another Reality''. Houston, TX: Hooks-Epstein Galleries, June 1989.
Video Documentary Bibliography Ulteriaphobia: The Art of Steve Brudniak. Dir. Luke Savisky. Austin, TX: Klaus und Hans Productions, 1995, Video documentary.Indie Live Austin. “Steve Brudniak: Interview with Diana Brochin.” Austin, TX: ACTV, January 2010.Steve Brudniak – Noumenon. Dir. Wiley Wiggins. Austin, TX: 2008, Video documentary.Steve Brudniak. Dir. Andrew Nourse. Austin, TX: Andy Nourse Productions, 1998 Video documentary.
Filmography '''Film''' Year  Film  Role  Director  Notes 2018  ''Red 11''  Head Doc  Robert Rodriguez  2018  Cecelia  Lord  Liz Tabish  2018  The Iron Orchard  Broker  Ty Roberts  2017  Calling  Mr. Callister  Artemis Anastasiadou  Austin Film Festival Selection 2017  One Last Time  Boss  Jaime Gonzales  2017  Fallen  Doctor   Jack Nassif  2017  Bonafide Beauty  Nigel  Samantha Schell  2017  The Long Road Home  Joshua  Alex Winker  2017  Valentine's Day Open Mic  Gangster  Ben Toomey  2017  Watchers  Mr. Tatum  Amadeus Gonzalez  2016  Psychotropical Howard  Liz Tabish  2016  Clamps  Mayor  Zach Scott, Jill Bailey  2016  Comfort  Felicia  KC Coker  2016  The Bridge  Harry  Colton Constanzo  2016  The Dying Light  Thomas   Jack Nassif  2016  Shadows  Terry  Colton Constanzo  2016  Promises  Gerald Painter  Melody Brooke  2015  Bunny and Non-Bunnyness  Nic  Ben Blanchard  Cannes Selection 2015  Ghost Valley  Sheriff Bill Raymond  Georgetown Ray  Associate Producer 2015  Hipster  Police Officer   University of Texas Film Program 2015  Little Green Men  Sheriff  Rob Larkin  2015  Door to Door  Bounty Hunter  Jarrod Yerkes  2015  Sauce  Sauce Eater  Gavin Tabone  2015 Wartorn  Eric Bukowski  Harold Fisch  2014  Carjacker  Stan  Taylor Camarot  2014  Last Message  Doctor  Duane Humeyestewa  2014  Bully Bully  Homeless Man  DeRae Logan  2014  Bye Bye Blackbird  Camera Guy  Gaia Bosignore  2013  Moments the Go  Cray  Eric Frodsham  Co-Director, Co-Producer 2012  Camp Kickitoo  Cop  Rick Sternberg  2002  Absinthe  Boy Friend  Marta Banda Producer 2001  Waking Life  Goatee Man  Richard Linklater  Rotoscoped 1998  Two for Texas  Soldier  Rod Hardy  Uncredited 1997  Parts of a Woman  Psycho  Kathleen Collins  1996  Waiting  Apt. Manager   University of Texas Film Program'''Television''' Year  TV Show  Role  Director  Notes 2018  Rebel Without a Crew  Self   Series 2017  Annihilator  Marshal Grooms Lee  Julio Quintana  Series Teaser 2017  Is Game of Throngs a Soap Opera  Sir Davey   Rooster Teeth Short 2017  Murder Made Me Famous  Dr. Herman Tarnower  Brad Osborne  Series 2016  Alabama Shakes  Homeless Man  Zach Scott, Rachel Immaraj  Spec. Music Video 2016  Good Field  Mr. Johnson  Zach Scott  Music Video 2004  Sir Richard  Self   Documentary 1995  Austin Self   Documentary'''Voice Over''' Year  Title  Role  Director  Notes 2017  Kingsile  Various Characters   Video Game 2016  Redeemer  Various Characters   Video Game 1985  Jack Mack and Rad Boy Go! Various Characters  Wes Archer  Animation, Sound, Score
Discography '''Albums'''Spiny Normen. Spiny Normen. RidingEasy Records. 2018 (Recorded 1979)'''Singles'''Spiny Normen. The Sound of Younger Times. Brining It All Back Again(Compilation). Shroom Angel Records. 2010 (Recorded 1979)Spiny Normen. The Bell Park Loon. Brown Acid: The Second Trip (Compilation). RidingEasy Records. 2016 (Recorded 1979)
Citations
External links * Artists Website (Includes resume and links to reviews)* Actor Website* Book Website** YouTube Channel* Spiny Normen Article* 71 Magazine Interview* Art Book Guy Interview