Richard Adams
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Since 1982, Richard Adams has been cementing his reputation as one of New Zealand's leading contemporary abstract painters, painting private commissions and showing widely throughout the country. The Auckland-based artist is also internationally renowned for his work, holding exhibitions in Tokyo, Sydney, New York, and London.
A man of many talents, Adams is not only an established artist, but also displays a passionate flair for the Jazz Violin as frontman for the Nairobi Trio. He published his first book of poems and etchings called 'Translations' in 1979 and in the same year co-scripted, produced and directed the New Zealand film 'Artman'.
Adams' minimalist planes of vertical and horizontal panel motifs, curves and lines are inspired by and abstracted from nature, colours, textures, shapes and surfaces. Drawing from the landscape, Adams uses canvas and paper as frames for the exploration of coloured oil panels, ovals and line etchings, anchored in a firm structural base and balanced by optical restraint and painterly freedom.