Chasing Light - The Ethereal Realms of Neal Adams

CHASING LIGHT

THE ETHEREAL REALMS OF NEAL ADAMS

Art Projects Gallery is proud to present “Chasing Light – The Ethereal Realms of Neal Adams” opening on 15 September 2012 through to 27 Oct 2012. This will be British contemporary artist, Neal Adams’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong.

Neal’s talent in drawing and painting was apparent from a very young age. His obsession for art saw him gained firm grounding in art history and painting techniques during his early artistic development from time spent intensively studying the works of great masters at the National Gallery of London and under the private tutelage of Professor James Turner (Wimbledon School of Art) in drawing and traditional painting techniques. The same burning passion and an unwavering quest for artistic breakthrough inspired Neal’s move to Bali in 2003.

Like the numerous foreign artists before him, most notably the likes of Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Mepres, Theo Meier, Lee Man Fong and Arie Smit, Neal was drawn to Bali’s spiritual energy, rich culture and enchanting natural landscapes.

Indeed, the move to Bali marked a turning point in Neal’s artistic career, which inspired him to invent his own technique of fusing traditional gold leaf painting and mixed-media. The gold leaf is used by the Balinese to embellish their temples and ceremonial batik textiles, embodying important religious significance in the local culture. It was also used in Medieval Europe in illuminated manuscripts and also developed by the Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt in his masterpieces such as “The Kiss” (1907-1908). Thus, the use of gold leaf could be a subconscious effort by the artist to integrate his Western background with his newfound Asian influence. To Neal, “Gold is God’s color” and therefore it could be the universal element that transcends all boundaries, an aspect that the artist would like to achieve in his art.

Neal starts each painting by applying ultra-thin foils of precious metals of gold and silver onto primed canvases. Upon this lustrous surface of carefully layered foil, Neal renders the subject matter in acrylic finished with oil glazing, creating textural and color contrasts between the two mediums. He adds more layers of foil, paint and translucent lacquers painstakingly until it reaches the desired effect and richness envisioned by the artist.

Using the reflective quality of the metallic mixed-medium, together with the interplay of depth of fields, shadows and scale, the artist evokes dramatic landscapes that borders between the real and the ethereal. The viewer is teleported to the naturalistic sanctuary that the artist has so masterfully created, be it a woodland, a bamboo forest or a tropical paradise; recurring themes and motifs in the artist’s paintings through which he sees as a means to celebrate the beauty of nature and the human spirit.

Neal’s paintings have a strong following in the United States of America, having had commissions and successful exhibitions in Hawaii, California and Texas. He has also been exhibited in England and Indonesia and his works have been auctioned at the Masterpiece Auction House in Jakarta.

Goh Ray Vees Co-Founder of Art Projects Gallery

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Aspen Deep Gold I ; Aspen Deep Gold II ; Aspen Deep Gold III 239 x 120cm ; 239 x 120cm ; 239 x 100cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

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Silver Birch 147 x 98 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2010

Bamboo Groove

149 x 199 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

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Bronze Aurora

149 x 99 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

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Blue Reflections

150 x 100 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

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Orchid White 119 x 60 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

In The Woods

130 x 199 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2010

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Tropical Red 99 x 70 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

Bamboo Depth I ; Bamboo Depth II 218 x 150 cm ; 218 x 150 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

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Tropical Red

99 x 70 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

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Ascent

99 x 70 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012

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After Glow

99 x 70 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2011

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Golden Realm 69 x 99 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2012 Kus Kum Flower 90 x 120 cm Mixed Media on Canvas 2010 16

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Neal Adams 1968 2003

Born in London, England Moved to Bali, Indonesia

Education 1984-1989 1989

Training under Professor James Turner (Wimbledon School of Art) Studied art history and painting at National Gallery, London

Solo Exhibitions 2012 Chasing Light - The Ethereal Realms of Neal Adams, Art Projects Gallery, Hong Kong 2007 Reflections of Faith, Elcanna Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

Selected Group Exhibitions 2012 Cafe Des Artist, Bali, Indonesia 2010 Orgone Gallery, Bali, Indonesia 2010 Harper Bazaar Jakarta, Indonesia 2009 Oracle Gallery, Bali, Indonesia 2009 JL Galleries, California, America 2008 Nicholas Parks Gallery, Cork Street, London 2002 Honey Wood Lodge Surrey, England 1999 Green Park West end, London 1997 Forrest Gallery Surrey, England 1995 Open Art Park Lane, London

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Chasing Light - The Ethereal Realms of Neal Adams First published in 2012

by Art Projects Gallery This book is published for the occasion of the exhibition ‘Chasing Light The Ethereal Realms of Neal Adams’ by Neal Adams at Art Projects Gallery Hong Kong from 15 Sept – 27 Oct 2012.

Curators: Goh Ray Vees, Anng Tan Design: Art Projects Gallery © 2012 Art Projects Gallery and Neal Adams All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Printed on recycled paper

Printed in Hong Kong by The Green Pagoda Press Ltd ISBN: 978-988-16440-2-2

TM

ART PROJECTS GALLERY Unit 7, Level 14, Oceanic Industrial Centre 2 Lee Lok Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong T: (852) 3485 5336 E: info@artprojectsasia.com W: www.artprojectsasia.com