Adam Kiger (October 2nd, 1974 – Columbus, Ohio, USA) www.adamkiger.com
Adam Kiger is an acrylic and watercolor artist living in Columbus, Ohio. Adam is represented by RaiseART Gallery (www.raiseART.com) in Chelsea, New York, PVG Artisans (parkviewgallery.wordpress.com) in Chillicothe, Ohio and by Gray’s Art Gallery (www.graysartgallery.com) in London, England. From the summer of 2013 through the fall of 2014, Adam was sponsored by Genie Canvas (geniecanvas.com) located in Red Hook, New York.
Columbus native, Adam Kiger, comes from a long line of acrylic and oil artists. Adam began painting at the age of six years old under the instruction of his family. After attending The Art Institute of Pittsburgh in the early ’90s, Adam moved to Atlanta, Georgia to begin setting the foundation for a career as an Internet architect. Over the next seventeen years, Adam’s graphic design and marketing background would play an essential part in producing award-winning projects and client solutions for over 80 Fortune 100/500 companies in the United States.
Once Adam’s career was solidified and his daughters were older, in early 2013, Adam became reacquainted with his natural artistic talents. Adam coupled his almost two decades of professional experience with his artistic passion and within six months, he reached his goal of having his work in New York City. Adam signed with Agora Gallery in Chelsea, NYC. in the fall of 2013 and his first exhibit was set for July 5-25, 2014. Shortly after, Adam was offered a sponsorship from Genie Canvas, also based in New York.
But Adam hasn’t stopped there! In the past few years, Adam’s work has shown in multiple locations in Columbus and he is dramatically increasing his efforts to establish and solidify long-term exposure of his work locally. Adam’s paintings were also shown in Los Angeles, California in June, 2014, the Hamptons, New York in August 2014, Palermo, Italy in 2015, and Tokyo, Japan in 2015. Adam has also set his sights on having some of his works displayed in London, Paris and Rome by 2018.
September of 2014 was an incredible month for Adam’s career. Adam was formally invited and expected to exhibit his work in the 2nd Biennale of Palermo in Florence, Italy in February, 2015 putting him closer to his goal of his works being in Rome. Adam also signed with Gray’s Art Gallery in London, England. With an immediate offering of his watercolor inventory to the gallery, Adam’s new line of works are set to exhibit in London’s famous art district beginning in February, 2015. And to sweeten the pot, Adam was offered an exclusive, one year, representation package with PVG Artisans in Chillicothe, Ohio. Park View Gallery enthusiastically acquired most of Adam’s acrylic and watercolor inventory to share with their extensive audience that spans throughout the State of Ohio as well as throughout most of the United States.
In 2015, Adam was immediately offered New York representation by several Chelsea and SOHO based galleries given his contract with Agora Gallery was set to expire the same year. Adam quickly jumped at the chance to become part of the RaiseART Gallery family beginning in May of 2015. Adam stated, "After dealing with the business aspects of the art world for so long, I’ve come to realize that what truly matters to me is not solely secured sales, even though that’s nice, but to remain in line with "Who I Am," I must align myself with individuals who believe that family, integrity and altruism matters. Ultimately a gallery becomes part of my family and in that, I have to ensure their hearts are pure. This is why signing with RaiseART was ’no brainer" for me." RaiseART falls deeply in line with the values I strive to teach my children every day and all of what I put into my daily relationships.
Adam’s work has been classified as containing a mixture of neo-dada, pop art and surrealistic elements. He predominately works in black and white and his subject matter is purposely selected to invoke an emotional reaction in the viewer. Adam added, "My work tends to focus on the heart, the evolution of the soul and every facet of life’s abhorrent pains, but I always try to depict a positive message too – the persistence and the right of the individual in recapturing what once belonged to them. And in doing so, I’m uncovering a personal truth while shedding light on an individual’s distributed denial."
We asked Adam a few questions…
What is your definition of art?
I’ve spent the last 20 years classifying my work as figurative and or representational, but as I’ve matured, gaining a deeper insight of myself, I’ve come to realize that my work is better represented under a mixture of Neo-Dada/pop-art approaches. My pieces are supposed to invoke a realization of an individual’s deep-rooted denial in whatever subject(s) I’ve presented.
With that said, my work tends to focus on the heart, the evolution of the soul and every facet of life’s abhorrent pains, but I always try to depict a positive message too – the persistence and the right of the individual in recapturing what once belonged to them. And in doing so, I’m uncovering a personal truth while shedding light on an individual’s distributed denial. If I can achieve such an emotional reaction, such a personal revelation within just one audience member, then I know my efforts were not in vain. And if such a reaction is rendered, then I know I’ve extended, unto another, the same unconditional belief that was gifted unto me, even if it is for just a brief moment.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I am no stranger to adversity. Since a young age, my entire life has been met with challenges. Instead of succumbing to a life of victimhood, I chose to take the pain, the darkest residuals of each trying experience and incorporate them into my works. Understanding that honesty wasn’t synonymous with the truth, I realized I had stumbled onto a viable platform in which to genuinely connect with an audience.
How do you deal with artist’s block?
There are times when my process just doesn’t want to cooperate, my paints won’t mix right or even moments where I find that frustration gets the better of me. But no matter what happens, I always revert back to two phrases that I have printed on my studio wall. 1. "The only thing that will ever really beat anyone in life, is their own belief that they’re going to be beaten." 2. "Creativity is not something you wait for. It is something that waits for you. You must decide to be creative, not wait to be. You must challenge yourself. Pick up the brush. Grab hold of the camera. Turn on the computer. Start cooking the meal. Get to the workplace early. Propose the solution. Advance the idea. Become the answer. You don’t have time to wait for “an inspiration.” You MUST BE the inspiration."
Where do you see your art going in ten years?
Hopefully nowhere. The more works that remain with my daughters to be handed down to their children someday, the better chance I have at keeping each message and display of truth engrossed within each piece I create alive.
Best Commissioned artwork ever done was…?
Unfortunately, I don’t have any one favorite piece of artwork that I’ve created. To me, asking which piece is my favorite is like asking a parent of more than one child which one (child) is their favorite. I believe each piece I create is equivalent in relevancy to that of a new child that’s been born. Just as a child is nurtured in a woman’s womb, so too is an idea and when an idea has gathered enough substance to begin to stand on its own, so too, like an infant, it’s born into the world – ready to grow and hopefully one day, change just one life for the better.
Greatest achievements so far…?
My four daughters will always hold that title.
Would love to exhibit my work in …
Paris and Rome.
Twitter: twitter.com/AdamKigerArt
Facebook: www.facebook.com/adamkigerfineart