‘When I see a problem, I create a solution’

His beloved wife of 55 years, Rosly, has been in a care home in Golders Green for the past four years, having been diagnosed with a form of Alzheimer’s, and Brian, a former architect, has developed what he calls “Construct” artwork to keep his mind occupied and alleviate loneliness.

Made out of MDF board, these completely original three-dimensional geometric pieces, some of which measure more than 5 ft wide and 4 ft high, fill much of the wall space in his home. His penchant for problem-solving is seen in his work as each creation seems to resemble a giant puzzle, cleverly drawing in the viewer’s gaze and challenging them to make sense of whatever it is they see.

Construct 19 Four Cups by Brian M. Cooper (Photo: Josh Hillman)[Missing Credit]

“On a subconscious level, I wanted to do something useful and not just give myself time to think,” Brian tells the JC. “I have always had the urge to make and create, but [doing this artwork] has also limited the potential for emotional trauma.”

Brian often finds himself spending up to six hours a day in his studio, which he converted from what was once a succah. “When I am working on a piece, I don’t think of anything else. I am completely immersed in the creative process and go to bed with the image of it still in my head.”

One of his early pieces of Construct art is in the lounge of Sage nursing home, where his wife is being cared for, and Brian is currently talking to a couple of synagogues about featuring his works, which include a striking menorah, on their walls.

Many years ago, when he was a fledgling artist, his work was shown at the Ben Uri gallery – which showcases the work of Jewish, immigrant and refugee artists – and Brian is hoping that, as he runs out of wall space in his home and his years continue to advance, he will have the opportunity to display his artwork publicly once again.

On his coffee table are a couple of pictures of boats his late father kept for him, with a level of detail which seems way beyond the capabilities of most seven-year-olds – the age he was when he painted them. The fascination with maritime structures has evidently been a theme throughout Brain’s life, as on a shelf is a 6ft Meccano model of a battleship, which took him several months to construct and includes well over 1,000 nuts and bolts. He has now given all his remaining Meccano to his teenage grandson.

Construct 23 Grey Serpentine by Brian M Cooper (Photo: Josh Hillman)[Missing Credit]

The father of two daughters recalls that his first artistic commission was at the age of eight or nine when a “so-called” uncle, a bookie, asked him to make a sign for a dog-racing track, for which he was paid a couple of pounds.

When he was 14, his father submitted a picture Brian had painted of the view from his bedroom window to an art competition being run by former tabloid the Sunday Pictorial. He was one of six winners chosen from 40,000 entrants, and the prize was a two-week painting holiday in Constable Country in Suffolk, a far-cry from Brian’s childhood home in Hackney.

“I was very nervous about going as I was Orthodox and was worried about how I would be able to lay tefillin and eat kosher food.”

While his father, Benjamin, a commercial traveller and himself a talented artist, “infused in me the joy of holding a pencil and a paintbrush”, his mother, Bessie, who managed a bakery and was “highly intelligent and strong-willed”, instilled in her children the value of a good education and a stable profession. “She said there was no money in being an artist and that instead, I should do something similar.”

So, he ended up pursuing a career in architecture, and, at 19, became the youngest person to graduate – with top marks – with an honours diploma in architecture, from Northern Polytechnic, a forerunner to London Metropolitan University.

Brian describes his architectural style as Brutalist – “I like honesty in design” – and with its “blocky”, functional form, it is easy to see the influence it has had on his Construct artwork.

After working for architectural companies for around 20 years, primarily designing hotels and offices, he spent the latter part of his career self-employed, which afforded him the time to develop his love of art.

Inspired by Jackson Pollock, Brian started with what he calls “panel work”, using oil paints and MDF board, and, over time, this evolved into Construct.

Construct 16 Open Core by Brian M Cooper (Photo: Josh Hillman)[Missing Credit]

From a young age, he was intrigued by machinery and enjoyed watching his grandfather at work as a blacksmith. Brian’s craft is equally physically demanding, and while a bout of pneumonia has meant him having to take it easier in recent months, he still has the build of a man much younger than someone just shy of 90. Perhaps this is partly thanks to spending his late teens weightlifting at Maccabi in West Hampstead, where he used to load up the bar for Olympian Ben Helfgott and whose image he included in a mural of the athletes he painted for the centre. “Ben was a small man of steel,” recalls Brian.

Asked where he gets the ideas for his Construct designs from, he points upwards and says: “Min Hashamayim” – meaning “from heaven”.

“I’m inspired, but I don’t know exactly where the inspiration comes from. Often, one piece will give me the inspiration for the next one. I look for each piece to have a certain magnetism about it, so for whoever looks at the panel, it will contribute to that person’s imagination.”

He says the process for producing each piece of Construct is akin to a painter overpainting a canvas until they are happy with the final product.

“There are times when I have to add or subtract to the piece to achieve a point of satisfaction. Sometimes, I know how I want something to develop and, at other times, I have no idea. So, I let life tinker on, and suddenly, I can see how it’s meant to go.”

For more information on Brian Cooper’s work, go to: brianmcooper.com

Or email: brian.m.cooper@outlook.com