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In a contemporary landscape characterized by the pervasive influence of institutional authority upon the socioeconomic fabric, Branscombe endeavors to critically interrogate the ethical underpinnings of hegemonic regimes and their influence on individual identity. Moreover, she explores the mergence between technologies and the consolidation of organisational control, critiquing the potential for technological advancements to engender unprecedented levels of dominion if left unchecked. Central to Branscombe's artistic praxis is an interrogation of militaristic tropes, emblematic of disciplinary mechanisms inherent within institutions, and their impact on constructions of masculinity and the treatment of marginalised socioeconomic strata.

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Branscombe's upbringing within a military enviroment, due to her dad previously being a soldier, nuanced examination of the soldier's ethos, prompting a reevaluation of those traditionally accorded to military service. Her work, which initially manifested through sculptural interventions utilising wire and copper piping, has since evolved into explorations within the digital realm, wherein she probes the existential anxieties surrounding the integration of artificial intelligence into military frameworks and broader organisational structures.

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This thematic trajectory represents a departure from Branscombe's prior preoccupation with narratives of female agency within folklore and historiography, where she deconstructed archetypal representations of femininity vis-à-vis the symbolism of the spider. Transitioning from the feminine to the masculine, Branscombe's current inquiry reflects upon the dynamics of patriarchal dominance inherent within her formative familial environment.

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Branscombe’s interest in Russian history and culture has informed her current works, dealing with the themes of totalitarianism, and the absurdities of post-revolution. Russia’s desire to seek the perfect utopia has often proven futile with an emphasis of failure and the inspiration for many dark humoured stories. Branscombe explores this reality in the absurd in her latest project ‘Новый мир’ (Novy Mir), a morbid humoured video critiquing mass control, AI development and the madness in seeking a novus ordo. 

 

The theoretical underpinnings of Branscombe's artistic praxis are informed by theorists such as Michel Foucault's publication, "Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison," Jean-Paul Sartre's concept of "bad faith," and Paul Virilio's theory of "dromology" pertaining to the velocity of technological modernity. Moreover, her creative impulses are nurtured by the oeuvres of artists such as Suzanne Treister, whose speculative fictions envision the symbiosis between technology and institutional authority, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, who employs the medium of video games to investigate morality and violence, and photographer Martin Figura, whose evocative imagery reveals the hierarchical structures and disciplinary mechanisms intrinsic to military environments.

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Branscombe endeavors to engender critical dialogue and reflexivity amongst her audience, inviting them to contemplate the entwinement of power dynamics and technological progress within contemporary institutions. By foregrounding themes ranging from the treatment of military personnel to societal attitudes towards masculinity and mental health, she seeks to foster a nuanced understanding of the complexities inherent within systems of governance and encourage a discerning critique of entrenched power structures.