Tyler Brandon is a collector of knowledge, from the history of civilizations to Renaissance masters’ painting techniques. In his oil paintings, he utilizes a visual language consisting of timeless elements rendered in a universally recognizable manner. Familiar objects—flowers, columns, and an almost emoji-like flame—hold an immediacy and frontality, and their straightforward rendering suggests they be read rather than viewed. For Brandon, the common denominator throughout his oeuvre is the truth: from the truths of universal math to that of a child’s mark-making. He feels that these simple elements unite us before we take on the complexities of society.