LO BRADEN

Lo Braden(b.1994) is a Detroit-born and based lens-based artist whose journey across Michigan, from Detroit to Romulus, Novi, West Bloomfield, and Southfield, immersed them in a variety of cultures and experiences. However, their time in Novi exposed them to racism and microaggressions that heightened their awareness of their Blackness and how they navigate the world. This awakening became the foundation of their work as an artist.

What began as self-portraits evolved into capturing the beauty and complexity of Black artists and friends. Their work is a response to the historical erasure of darker skin tones in photography and film, where early technology wasn’t designed to accurately capture melanated skin. Knowing that the expansion of color range in film was born out of the desire to photograph objects like chocolate and wood rather than people, Lo makes it their mission to portray melanated skin with warmth and saturation, celebrating its depth and richness.

Having grown up sheltered, they found freedom in building their own world’s narratives shaped by surreal elements such as altered scales, distorted realities, and playful compositions. Their process begins digitally, but their art truly takes form in the editing stage. Using Lightroom, Photoshop, and Procreate, they play with each image, letting experimentation guide them beyond their initial vision. For Lo, creating is a nonlinear, messy, and joyful process. Each piece is shaped not only by their concepts but also by the discoveries they make along the way.

Through their work, Lo aims to challenge perceptions, celebrate Blackness, and invite viewers into worlds that are as imaginative as they are unapologetically vibrant.

Solo Exhibition

2023 “Black+____(Black plus Blank)” PLAYGROUND DETROIT, Detroit,MI

Group Exhibitions

2023 "The Prelude" Detroit, MI

2023 “Foundations” Virtual Exhibition (Artsy)

2022 “Nude Geographies” Minneapolis, MN

2022 “Arrived: Detroit Edition” Detroit, MI

2022 "PLAYGROUND DETROIT Emerging Artist Group Exhibition" (Artsy)

2022 "The Numz Bodega"  Portland, OR 

2022 "Female Sight"  Minneapolis, MN

2022 "Clouds"  Detroit, MI