PECULIAR BEASTS
NEW PAINTINGS BY KRISTIAN ADAM
At Saint-Germain Café Gallery
August 21, 2015 – October 28, 2015
Kristian Adam brings his new collection of NymNums to
Saint-Germain Café Gallery this summer in a show titled PECULIAR BEASTS. It is
an exhibit unlike any other that has been shown at the gallery (or in
Penticton, for that matter), and it is sure to spark the imagination of
children and adults alike. Adam's finely detailed paintings reveal a host of
characters (or NymNums) that, while at first appear magical and childlike, often
represent the roles humans have in society, and the consequences our misguided
thoughts and actions have on that same society… and the world.
A self-taught artist in nearly every medium, Adam has developed
his style and techniques through trial and error. In the past, Dr. Seuss's body
of work and works like the ‘Codex Seraphinianus’, which is filled with surrealistic and
organic Rube Golberg-like, Heath Robinson-style contraptions, have helped serve
as inspiration in creating his whimsical other-worldly landscapes and devices. However,
for PECULIAR BEASTS, his inspiration comes from a much smaller force of nature…
his four-year old cousin Ava. “Watching Ava draw makes me really nostalgic for
that naiveté and spontaneity I had when I was young,” Adam says. “I just didn’t
over think things back then. I feel more neurotic about my art now. It can be a
bit stressful. So I envy the place that Ava creates from.” PECULIAR BEASTS will
include a collection of collaborations between Adam and his cousin Ava.
Adam’s NYMNUMS scurried into the world in 2009 in an exhibition
featuring more than 60 paintings and drawings, and a book of 10 illustrated
short stories written by Michael Sasi*. The NymNums, which Adam says he created
as “a way to live through his childhood eternally,” served as the model for his
ANIMALOPOLIS exhibit the following year. ANIMALOPOLIS contained an even larger
collection of characters and 13 short stories, which were published in a
limited-edition issue of CROW TOES QUARTERLY, an art and literature magazine for
children, published by Saint-Germain Café Gallery’s Christopher Millin from
2007 - 2011. “Nature inspires me to paint, more than anything,” says Adam. “And
I love creating my own unique vision of it. Animals, humans and their interactions…
I strive to portray some kind of empathy through these things.” Since ANIMALOPOLIS,
Adam’s characters have appeared in exhibits titled FLOMBAGOO, THE PUMPKIN GANG,
PANDACORN PARK and A WOODLAND RECITAL.
Michael Sasi, a longtime collaborator recalls what initially drew
him to Adam’s work. “I contacted Kristian about collaborating after seeing his
work in a group show at Ayden Gallery (in Vancouver) in the most fortunate
circumstances. I was on a date with time to kill before a movie and the gallery
was open. [His two paintings] NOMADS and MASS OF THE GOAT opened up new worlds
to me, both in my imagination and my career. My involvement in fine art can be
traced back to that show. I knew I had stumbled onto something special. Besides
the obvious talent, it was the attention to detail that stood shoulders above
anything else I had ever seen. Over the past few years, Kristian’s work has
tended to focus more on his ideas and characters with greater volume and
smaller works. There is more seriousness and subtly to his humour. This is
defined as maturity. Kristian has become a master of drawing. Elements of his
style have solidified, so much so that you can recognize a Kristian Adam
character regardless of the finish or the medium of the piece.”
This maturity
in Adam's work could also be attributed to a series of unfortunate events that began in
2010 when he was hit by a car while riding home on his bicycle. In the accident
he broke his painting arm. “Then, two years ago I became very ill and could not
paint (again),” explains Adam. “Losing my health and ability to do the thing I
love most was crushing. The experience was both terrifying and humbling and I
am still recovering from it. I am not the same person I was. [PECULIAR BEASTS]
is my first solo body of work since I got sick. In many ways, I would consider
this show my rehabilitation.”
Kristian Adam’s
PECULIAR BEASTS exhibition opens at Saint-Germain Café Gallery on Friday,
August 21st. The opening reception runs from 5 pm – 9 pm. The
exhibit continues through October 28th, 2015. For more information,
please contact Christopher Millin at Saint-Germain Café Gallery.
250.492.0060
Some more sparks of wisdom from Kristian Adam and Michael
Sasi.
To Kristian:
What is the most difficult part of being a full-time artist?
“To make art requires a sacrifice of time and energy. It’s
personal preference how much of those things you’re willing to give up to make
art. Personally speaking, for me to be productive and happy I have had to
simplify my life quite a bit. Watch FIGHT CLUB. ‘The things you own end up
owning you.’ It’s the only cliché movie line I’ve ever found useful. My thought
is, if you’re not using it on a regular basis and it doesn't give you
inspiration anymore, get rid of it.”
To Kristian:
Can you tell me a little bit about your process? What is
your favourite medium? Where do your ideas come from?
“I start with a monochrome drawing as a template. I draw
very loose as I never really know what’s going to happen. I start to pull more
familiar shapes out of the loose lines similar to the shapes of animals or
things you would project when you look into a cloud. I start to place objects
that have personal meaning or help create some kind of narrative inspired by an
event in my life from the past, present or future. I then create the underpainting
with thicker more opaque colors and as I work my way to the top layers of
paint, the glazes get thinner and more transparent to give depth. My
medium of choice is oils, but I experiment with all of them.”
To Michael:
How would you like the world to view Kristian’s art?
“Kristian is currently the only artist in any medium I know
who works exclusively in his craft. His art is his day job. He's built a
business out of his passion without compromise or hard sales or an advertising
budget. So, he's already ahead of most people. My hope for his work is to
maximize visibility and sales, as these things will lead to more freedom to
create. Intrinsically, the work is just as valuable if one person sees it or if all of the people see it. I know the ambitions he has for
particular shows, and every work requires more energy, more self. More views
and more opportunities provide the time and energy to move forward.
“The world has changed immensely in the last decade. People consume more media
in one day than they used to consume in a year (fact) and these industries are
becoming more fractured as the tools and channels for sharing information
expand. As the competition for attention escalates, mainstream entertainment
narrows. Nothing worth consuming is created with the intention to appeal to a
mass audience. If it happens, great, but that is an outcome that no one can
control. Not even Bill Gates, try as he might. The ultimate commercial outcome for Kristian Adam's art is a committed and enthusiastic fan base. You know, people who get it.”
To Kristian:
What does the future hold for the art of Kristian Adam?
“A mango tree, a nice garden, charcoal sticks and some paper…”
*Pick up copies of Crow Toes Quarterly featuring Michael's stories HEARSAY FROM THE RUPERT GREENWOOD CHRISTMAS IS TODAY TALES OF FEBRUARY THE THIRD and MARCH OF THE FAT BABIES at the gallery.
