HUG: ADAM HANDLER

Madelyn Jordon Fine Art is delighted to present “HUG”, a 3^rd solo exhibition of paintings by New York artist Adam Handler. The exhibition will run from Friday, May 21st – Saturday, July 3rd, 2021. The opening reception is on Friday, May 21^st, 2021, from 6:00-8:00pm. The public is invited with social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines from the CDC.  The exhibition will showcase 25 paintings by the artist, created in the last year. 

The concept for ‘HUG’ was influenced by the disastrous events of 2020, a year of social distancing from loved ones and friends due to the global pandemic.  

Says Adam,

“We were asked collectively as a nation to refrain from gathering and adopt a new way of interacting with one another.  We lost the physical interactions experienced day to day and perhaps one of the hardest things for me was losing the simple but endearing feel of a hug.”

The new works, which star Handler’s cute, approachable “ghosts”, and “girls” explore relationships and interactions--between couples, a UFO abduction, and address one’s struggles with death or the loss of a loved one.  The ghost paintings have been a main focus in Handler’s work throughout the past year, influenced by the pandemic and the rising mortality rates we all experienced around the world.  Adam goes on to say,

“I have always used this series of works as a way to cope with death and one's own anxieties around this inescapable ‘relationship’. The ghosts were born from that anxiety and are an attempt to create a friendly and non-threatening relationship with death. The works are in a sense not about dying but rather a reminder to live life to the fullest.”

The ghost buddies, with their rosy cheeks and cute smiles, distract from the dark themes referenced in his work, giving us a sense of childlike innocence and curiosity.  In works such as ‘Grim Kitty and the Ghost’, or ‘Screamer Girl and Ghost Friend’, the figures in the background appear more menacing, but the ghost buddies in the foreground provide a warm and approachable contrast.

The UFO Abduction Series continues these themes and explores the concept of being taken against one’s will, being displaced, away from the comforts of home. The pandemic displaced the world, and took many away from their homes and, unfortunately, many from this earth.

Adam explains, “My goal in these pieces is not to shed light on the events of the last year but rather to create a feeling of comfort and a metaphorical "hug" to those viewing the work.”