Inspired by LBTY: Liberty Maze by Alfred Bramsen
From Eastern inspirations to innovative artistic media: the London-based artist turns his delicate brushwork to Liberty LBTY’s enchanting floral creation
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Inspired by LBTY: Liberty Maze by Alfred Bramsen
From Eastern inspirations to innovative artistic media: the London-based artist turns his delicate brushwork to Liberty LBTY’s enchanting floral creation
By: Team LibertyInterview by George Serventi
A deep-rooted passion for artistic expression lies at the heart of Liberty, from the Tudor foundations of our store upwards and outwards. The exquisite world of Liberty’s LBTY. Fragrance is no exception, guided by a passion for creativity and collaboration, celebrating history and heritage with an eye to the future.
And what better way to explore the intricacies of the Liberty’s LBTY. Fragrance collection than by continuing our close collaboration with the creative world? This year, we’re tasking a series of contemporary creatives with reimagining each scent through their unique artistic media as part of our Inspired by LBTY. series.
When crafting a new artwork, Copenhagen-born, Japan-inspired and London-based artist Alfred Bramsen retreats into a world of his own creation.
With a longstanding interest in Japanese culture, Bramsen has travelled the country widely, and describes a period spent living in the country’s remote forests as transformative for his artwork. Drawing on a vast range of techniques and sources, his creations are characterised by unique harmonisation of Scandinavian minimalism and Japanese aesthetics.
Known for his fantastical characters and intricate style, his delicate brushwork and muted, yet energising colour palette are a perfect pairing for the ethereal notes and enchanting aromas of Liberty LBTY. Fragrance’s Liberty Maze.
Liberty visited Bramsen at his London home to delve into the beguiling world he created, inspired by LBTY.
MEET THE ARTIST: ALFRED BRAMSEN
Tell us about your work and what inspires you.
I am very inspired by futuristic stories that I create in my mind, or cultural artifacts or stories, especially from Japanese culture. I like to deep dive into things from a long time ago, whether that's fairy tale or a cult, or an old history story. I then reinterpret that, and think about how it can relate to my universe.
How would you describe the techniques you use within your work?
The technique that I use is inspired by old Japanese and Chinese silk paintings. It's not precisely the same, because I don't paint on silk: I paint on cotton, but my technique was inspired by these. I then started experimenting with pencil drawing, and then using different types of inks to draw over the paintings: seeing what worked together.
My watercolours are Japanese Gansai watercolours, which despite being watercolours, are very opaque, and have quite a specific tone to them.
When the details are small, you can't see that much change happening as you are painting. But every time you step back from it, something more has come alive.
I love creating something that takes a really long time, it's really fun for me to see the project build up as you go along. When the details are so small, you can't really see that much change happening as you are painting. But every time you step back from it, something more has come alive, which is quite fun as the painter.
How did your time spent living in Japan influence your work?
When I was living in Japan, I managed to transport myself into my own universe. I had rented a house in a very remote area, and I didn't really see anybody for six months. I was just painting and thinking about the stories that I created.
Being there and completely trying to embody that universe within my own mind was very fruitful in terms of creating good work and work that I enjoyed making.
Read More: Inspired by LBTY: Tudor by Wilfrid Wood
How do you relate to the characters you create?
When I come up with the motifs and the characters in my work, I try and not look outside of my own mind too much. You have to become a bit obsessed and introspective about what these characters are and where they come from to create your own stories about them. I sometimes drive myself a bit mad thinking about these characters and what they are about.
How did Liberty LBTY. Liberty Maze inspire the artwork you’ve created?
When I was thinking about the fragrance and smelling the fragrance, I immediately thought about how you take in a fragrance: the process of smell and fragrance going into the body. Within my universe, I thought about what that process would look like if it's a being that's not necessarily able to smell.
Liberty LBTY. Liberty Maze is such a floral and summery scent that I wanted to incorporate notes of honeysuckle and bergamot in the painting. A lot of the flowers in my paintings are based on real flowers, but then they become open to interpretation, and morph into something slightly different.
What does it mean to you to be working with Liberty?
Other than vast amounts of shopping at the beauty department…?
Ever since moving to London 10 years ago, Liberty has always had quite a prominent presence. It's such a foundation of central London. It's fun for me to work with Liberty because it's a place to always return back to enjoy and appreciate when you're in London.
Shop Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Liberty Maze Eau de Parfum 100ml
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Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Liberty Maze Eau de Parfum 8ml
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Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Tudor Eau de Parfum 100ml
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Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Discovery Set 3 x 8ml
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Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Zephirine Eau de Parfum 100ml
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Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Adelphi Sun Eau de Parfum 100ml
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Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Wild Rosinda Eau de Parfum 100ml
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Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
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Liberty LBTY. Fragrance
Tudor Eau de Parfum 8ml
Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
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Free UK Standard delivery within 5 working days on all orders over £100
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