MAGO’S JOURNAL HAMPTONS ART IS A VIBE By MAGO
MAGO is an internationally acclaimed artist, specializing in graffiti and pop culture. He is also the curator at the RJD Gallery, specializing in Magical Realism, in Bridgehampton, and advises private clients. MAGO is experienced in the worlds of fashion, TV, video production, and photography, and this wealth of cultural knowledge he intends to use to inform this column.
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amptons art is a vibe and it’s becoming an art movement. This article is near and dear to my heart because I’ve spent more than 20 years creating with fellow Hamptonites. I’ve been living in Sag Harbor, a historically interesting town with a lot of energy. This place has inspired my work, my point of view, and my direction. Really, the idea for the recent art show Bohemian City in Sag Harbor was born from my desire to build a community of creatives and artists right here in my own backyard and surrounding towns. Adam Umbach is both my friend and a fellow artist. He and I met in the Hamptons art fair scene. We both share the same passion and vision for artistry. And we both keep growing as creatives within this community. A recent interview is below.
just a solid color with an object. In the second series, the backgrounds are influenced by Gerhard Richter’s abstract paintings, where he’s pulling large amounts of oil with pieces of plexiglass. So mine is done in the same fashion, then incorporating an object within the atmosphere. And the third, which is what I’m interested in, is the use of my nondominant hand to make these gestural marks in the negative space of the minimalist paintings.
Describe yourself as an artist. I’m a contemporary painter based in Brooklyn. My primary focus is capturing realism in a minimalistic way.
Where do you see your career heading? I guess just forward. We’re expanding the studio next month. Your readers can contact me any time at adamscottumbach@gmail.com and schedule to come visit me.
Can you share what places have inspired you? I’ve lived in Maine, on an Island off mid-coast, also in East Hampton, and now in Brooklyn. I guess a lot of my influence comes from the water.
u Follow Adam Umbach on Instagram @a_umbach and see his work at aumbach.com.
What was a memorable art experience? I remember seeing Monet’s Haystacks series at The Art Institute [of Chicago] as a kid. And I remember romanticizing about being a painter, being an artist, knowing nothing about the struggles or difficulties of making a living from art. Tell us about the three different series you have produced. The first is what I referred to as the minimalist series, where it’s Adam Umbach
Adam Umbach, Sag Harbor, It’s a Vibe Oil, enamel, and oil stick on canvas. 54 x 78 in
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