RICHARD ADAMS

KEYLINES

Richard Adams

KEYLINES

2nd - 20th March 2015

C A D O G A N C O N T E M P O R A R Y

87 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LDTelephone: +44 (0)20 7581 5451 info@cadogancontemporary.com

www.cadogancontemporary.com

Richard Adams has spent much of his life between Britain and his native New Zealand, the contrast and similarities of these two nations becoming a central factor in his influences and paintings. Like New Zealand’s significant abstract artist Milan Mrkusich, one can detect in Adams’ paintings, a long and patient musing over colour choices and the relationship of interacting forms. Akin to British painter Ben Nicholson, his work removes the basic premise ‘what you see is what you know’, instead favouring a direction which is elusive whilst simultaneously precise.

These great artists and Adams use a number of architectural elements; Mrkusich worked for an architectural firm as an interior designer, Adams worked as a set designer and painter, and like Nicho-lon, Adams travels extemsively, keeping detailed records of architecture and landscape. The use of squares, horizontal, perspectives can be interpreted as horizons, foregrounds, backgrounds, land-scape elements.

The uses of a drawn arc in the work are musical notations indicating a pause. Adams is a noted violinist and treats his surfaces as something to be worked at, teased out, almost as if we should combine looking with listening.

KEYLINES is a culmination of Adams’ recent travels through Europe, Mexico and Arizona. Moving through the exhibition could be moving through the time zones Adams traveled. Expanses of uninterrupted horizons and yellowed, dusty heat. The hazy changings of light and landscapes are told on the surfaces of the work, etched as contours on a map.

The exhibition in London has been preceded by an exhibition in Auckland, thus adding to the notion of a multi-continent art experience.

K E Y L I N E SPrivate View

Tuesday, 3rd March 20156.00 - 8.30pm

Born in London, in 1957, Adams is a New Zealand Jazz violonist, poet, actor and artist.

Starting his life in the arts, in 1977 - 79 Richard co-scripted, co-produced and co-directed New Zealand feature film ‘Artman’ relased at the Wellington Film Festival July 1979. During this time he was creating a book of poems and etchings entitled ‘Translations’ which was published in 1979. Adams continued in the New Zealand film industry as a sought-after scenic artist, leading him to found Pro Art in 1988, specialising in commissioned arworks and sculptural pieces.

Adams own work was commissioned for many noteworthy collections and public spaces internation-ally, including the Beijing Word Trade Centre, China, in 2010, Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong in 2006 and a site specific installation at Grant Thorton Limited’s head office in New Zealand in 2007.

An established musician, in 1989 Adams co-founded the jazz ensemble ‘Nairobi Tio’ as frontman and lead violinist. Since inception the band have become one of New Zealands best known Jazz bands touring internationally, appearing at major festivals in the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia. Richard has received critical acclaim for his music both in the band and seperately, releasing various albums and playing at the Wellington International Arts Festival. Combining his previous writing and directing experience with his musical expertise, Adams is currently working on a scripted musical production aiming to be performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2015.

It was at a time when his music career was flourishing Adams became further committed to his own painting. He has proclaimed ‘The two go hand in hand. One sets the other on fire’.

Noted art critic and author Richard Woolfe, perhaps saw the connection between his music and art most clearly by the similar lack of boundaries, and the ‘infinite arrangements of forms and lines ... The placement of such elements can seem extremely arbitrary and, as with playing jazz fiddle, there may be no set path to follow. It’s largely a matter of knowing where to start - and where to stop.’

Grey Bar, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Dissolve, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Harvest, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Black and Silver, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Within Red, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Within Red II, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Twilight, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Glow, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Evening Fall, oil on paper, 56cm x 79cm

Keyline, oil on paper, 56cm x 71cm

Central, oil on paper, 56cm x 79cm

Lake Hayes, oil on paper, 56cm x 79cm

Weathered II, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Weathered, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Orange, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Green, oil on paper, 79cm x 56cm

Glow, oil on canvas, 99cm x 150cm

Left: Central Harvest, oil on canvas, 142cm x 94cm

Glendhu Bay, oil on canvas, 142cm x 94cm

Below the Surface, oil on canvas, 142cm x 94cm

Turbulence II, oil on canvas, 142cm x 94cm

Solo Exhibitions1982 Molesworth Gallery, Wellington1983 Ginko Print Gallery, Christchurch1985-6 Art Played Gallery, Tokyo1991-3 Portfolio Gallery, Auckland1994 Drawings Gallery, Auckland1997 Drawings Gallery, Auckland1999 Drawings Gallery, Auckland The Arthouse Gallery, Churistchurch2000 McPherson Gallery, Auckland Bowen Galleries, Wellington The Arthouse Gallery, Churistchurch2001 McPherson Gallery, Auckland Bowen Galleries, Wellington The Arthouse Gallery, Churistchurch2002 McPherson Gallery, Auckland The Arthouse Gallery, Christchurch2003 The Arthouse Gallery, Christchurch Bowen Galleries, Wellington2004 McPherson Gallery, Auckland George Perry Gallery, Tauranga The Arthouse Gallery, Churistchurch2005 Gallery Thirty Three, Wanaka2006 The Arthouse Gallery, Christchurch McPherson Gallery, Auckland2007 The Arthouse Gallery, Christchurch George Perry Gallery, Tauranga2008 The Arthouse Gallery, Christchurch2009 OREXART, Auckland The Arthouse Gallery, Christchurch2015 OREXART, Auckland Cadogan Conetmporary, London

Group Shows1987 Molesworth Gallery, Wellington1998 Art Played Gallery, Tokyo1990 Works on Paper Gallery, Auckland1991 Bertha Undang Gallery, New York1994 Portfolio Gallery, Auckland1995-8 Drawings Gallery, Auckland1998 Drawings Gallery, Auckland99-00 McPherson Gallery, Auckland2000 The Arthouse Gallery, Churistchurch2001 “From the Studios of” Bowen Galleries, Wellington Cadogan Contemporary, London “Degrees of Abstraction” Millennium Public Art Gallery, Blenheim Works on Paper - Marlene Antico Fine Arts, Sydney2002 “Vintage Vantage” Waiheke Community Art Gallery McPherson Stable Exhibtion, Auckland Bowen Galleries, Wellington The Arthouse Gallery, Christchurch Cadogan Contemporary, Summer Exhibition2003 Tinakori Gallery, Wellington McPherson Gallery, Auckland2004 The Arthouse Gallery, Churistchurch Bowen Galleries, Wellington2005 Red Gallery, Nelson George Perry Gallery, Tauranga Amelia Johnson Contemporary, Hong Kong2006-8 Diversion Gallery, Blenheim, Majlis Gallery, Dubai2008 The Collectors Show, OREXART, Auckland2008 Joint show with JS Parker, Gallery 33, Wanaka2009 Auckland International Art Fair, Auckland Art Lease, Hong Kong2010 Diversion Gallery, Blenheim Gallery Thirty Three, Wanaka2014 Cadogan Contemporary, London

Public CollectionsPetrocorp, Government Computer Services, James Cook Hotel, Salmond Smith Biolab NZ Ltd, Campaign Palace, ASB North Harbour Stadium, Grant Thorton NZ Ltd, Novotell, Perron Developments, Soar Printing, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, Eurocell NZ Ltd, Banque Privee Edmond De Rothchild, Hong Kong

2004 Resident Artist, Chambre Avec Vue, Saignon, France

C A D O G A NC O N T E M P O R A R Y

87 Old Brompton RoadLondon SW7 3LD

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7581 5451www.cadogancontemporary.com