“Siren Song.” All images © Adrian Landon Brooks, shared with permission
Whether working on walls, rough slices of wood, or photographs unearthed from antique stores, Adrian Landon Brooks centers his paintings on the otherworldly. The Austin-based artist returns to characters and scenes with a mythical bent in his acrylic compositions, which are largely guided by the texture, shape, and predetermined forms of their nontraditional canvases.
Referencing a profound connection between the physical and spiritual, many works juxtapose organic elements like starry skies and minimally rendered flowers with bold blocks of color and sharp angles. Brooks’ influences are vast and have only recently become more intentional, which he explains:
Historically, any imagery in my work that looked similar to any one culture or place was coincidental… I wasn’t always aware of where I was visually drawing from. Most recently, I was asked repeatedly if was influenced by Egyptian artwork, which I thought was interesting because I never had any direct interest or meaningful time with it. I decided to lean into that a bit with one of my latest paintings (“Siren Song”) and see how a more deliberate approach would benefit my process.
Working subconsciously or not, the artist creates worlds that become portals to the mystical, with inviting color palettes, familiar imagery, and a perpetual inclination toward love, loss, and ritual that have grounded humanity through history. “My hope is that viewer leaves with a sense of wonder that is detached from the here and now,” he says.
Some of Brooks’ work is included in the group show Lucky 13 on view through March 19 at Paradigm Gallery + Studio in Philidelphia. Originals, prints, and other goods are available in his shop, and you can follow his latest projects on Instagram.
‘Warpaint’ series
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