A Thrilling Conversation with Adam Martin Disbrow
Photo courtesy of the artist
Adam Martin Disbrow is an American expressionist painter based in Charlottesville, VA. His work has been featured nationally and internationally at places such as the SKT Gallery, City Space Gallery, and elsewhere. I got the pleasure to ask Adam why artist’s collectives are so important along with how the pandemic has changed how he does his art, and what advice he has for young artists.
UZOMAH: Who are some American Expressionist painters that stand out to you as having the most impact on your work?
ADAM: -- Cy Twombly, Clyfford Still, Jasper Johns, and Jean Michel Basquiat are some American artists that come to mind. I relate to a lot of European Expressionists, as well. I recognize American Art, but I strongly identify with European Artists like Pierre Soulages (French) and Anselm Kiefer (German). I also love the work of Ha Chong Hyun (Korean) and Kazuo Shiraga (Japanese). Of all these, Anselm Kiefer is currently my favorite. The dialogue his work creates with the past is similar to what I have worked to instill in my paintings. I want my paintings to challenge both the viewer and the common narrative of our history. When I discovered Kiefer’s work I had a tremendous feeling that the body of my work -- created independent of intention to belong -- was part of something much larger than myself; that it had value and a place beyond my own understanding.
“Foule II,” (Crowd 2) 20 x 16 x 0.75 Inches Acrylic, Oil Stick, Graphite, and 24k Gold Leaf on Linen 2020
U: How important are artist’s collectives still in the art world?
A: Relationships are of paramount importance. A network of artists is a network of relationships. It’s really difficult to bridge the gap between the studio and the galleries. Often, it is on another artist’s recommendation that a gallery will take on new artists. So having a space to create those relationships and develop a network of artists is essential. It’s also really important to not forget how important art is for local communities. If an artist can bridge into the mainstream that is fantastic, but art is also needed in the local community because real cultural development happens at the local level. This planet is supersaturated with art, just like it is supersaturated with human beings. It is an honor and a privilege to have an original creation hanging anywhere -- be it a local restaurant or bar, an art collector’s home, or in the collection of a museum. Space is limited. Success as an artist is defined by a life lived in art, and getting involved at the local level is one of the best ways to participate.
U: How would you describe the Charlottesville art scene before the pandemic? What draws you to it?
A: Though I live in Charlottesville, my artistic home is the Sperryville Artist Cooperative (SPAC) which is located 1 hour north in Sperryville, Virginia. Sperryville is a small artistic community that receives a large draw of collectors and appreciators from both Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. It has a strong identity as being an epicenter for creators and artists.
Charlottesville has a great arts community as well, and I am grateful to have a presence here. I was a finalist in the Tom Tom Founders Festival Art Contest in 2016, in which I had a banner featuring original art displayed on the downtown walking mall, and I have had numerous solo show openings in and around town. In 2016 coordinated a group show of SPAC Artists at the City Space Gallery.
“Foule I,”(Crowd 1) 20 x 16 x 0.75 Inches Acrylic, Oil Stick, Graphite, and 24k Gold Leaf on Linen 2020
U: How do you use your art to visualize a statement of truth to the audience and as a reflection of your beliefs?
A: I put it into the work. Whatever the statement may be, whatever I am objectively working to convey, the visual language of symbol and conceptuality I have developed is used to portray some truth-- to break down the barrier of created reality if only for a moment; to let the art be a mirror that reveals the unseen truths carried inside ourselves; to create a free space for the mind an eye to express itself honestly.
Also, it’s important to remember that truth expressed in art does not always have to be a grand truth. It can be something as simple as the truth of an old fisherman opening his stand at a market at 4 am. Those are the best truths. It doesn’t have to be some ageless question that is technically unanswerable in words. Those are cliches. It can be anything that makes you feel connected to the world and humanity. If you feel it then others will feel it; and that feeling is the point.
“CONFLICT/Resolution,” 30 x 40 x 1.5 Inches Acrylic, Oil Stick, Charcoal, Graphite, Archival Ink Pen, and 24k Gold Leaf on Canvas 2019
U: How do you use 24k Gold Leaf in your paintings to be symbolic and what do you wish to convey with the leaf?
A: Gold is versatile in its symbolic use. It has the potential for dualistic representation of oppositional concepts: it can represent both the highest spiritual principles and the lowest. Gold is recognizable as a symbol for purity, holiness, and the sacred. It can also be used as a symbol for greed, power through material wealth, and the lust for results. I use it for both purposes at different times.
Adding to that, the conceptuality contained in each layer compounds as time compounds our experiences. Some things are covered, some remain exposed. At different periods I will execute a layer in a state of, “no-mind,” so that as the work develops, there is an entropic randomness to what remains exposed and what is covered. The gold square visible at or near the top layer represents the highest level of spiritual development: unity versus the separation compounded below it. In alchemy, lesser metals and materials are destroyed to create gold. This occurs through a parallel process of self-mastery. The ability to change lead into gold becomes possible as one attains a higher state of being; mastering motivations of greed, lust, and inflated self-images. In this way, the gold is representative of a higher state of being. The layering, from the base ascending up through the gold at the top, represents this transmogrification.
“Woman,” (Mother) 20 x 16 x 0.75 Inches Acrylic, Oil Stick, Graphite, and 24k Gold Leaf on Linen 2021
U: You graduated from the University of Virginia where you studied art history, language arts, and literature, how do you incorporate that learning into your art?
A: Self-awareness and self-knowledge are put into the practice in all we do. Everything we study, along with all our experiences, we carry with us and in each moment we create ourselves by what we have learned and experienced; it’s a being thing as a opposed to a doing thing. Through conscious recognition and practice, I bring all of my experiences to the moment I interact with the canvas and it comes out in my art.
U: What have been some of the most rewarding aspects of being a resident artist at SPAC?
A: The Sperryville Artist Cooperative (SPAC) has provided me with a homebase to return to after each success (and failure). After every sale and every show I find myself back where I started. By creating lasting relationships, the relationships I sustain define the position I find myself in after each event. The relationship with SPAC has been one of my greatest sustaining relationships because after each event it has been a home for me to return to again and again.
“End,” (Beginning) pt. 1 24 x 24 x 1.75 Inches Acrylic, Oil Stick, Graphite, Charcoal, and 24k Gold Leaf on Linen 2021
U: How has the pandemic changed how you plan to exhibit your work in the future being that you also have experience with exhibiting your art internationally in a virtual format?
A: The pandemic has made me get creative. I hope to continue working and showing and growing my exposure internationally after the pandemic has concluded. I am scheduled to exhibit at the 2022 Art Expo in Nice, France-- which is an in-person show, so I am looking for that.
U: What advice do you have for someone who is not sure about completely devoting themselves to being a full-time artist?
A: The life of an artist is cold and hungry. It has to be. Discomfort feeds great art. It is also not about fame or money. It truly is the confrontation of these things, because as you grow and your work is more accepted, you will receive both recognition and, perhaps, wealth. These things will undermine your creative spirit. The life of an artist is also lonely. Success as an artist is not something most people relate to, so in your triumphs you will be at your most alone. Failure is more relatable than artistic success. However, when you fail and continue to work, this will only isolate you further, for to fail and continue is required of the artist. But let nothing stop you. Let nothing impede your will. Be indomitable. Success as an artist is defined by a life lived in art, and it takes a lifetime -- however long that may be. So become self-aware. Analyze your motivations. Look at why you want to be an artist. Look at if you have a choice in the matter. Therein lies the nerve center of true artistry— self-awareness and the understanding that there is no choice.
You can find more information about Adam’s work here. You can also find him on Facebook and follow him on Instagram.
