Adam Reid

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Emerging Artist

Adam Reid experiments with abstract and figurative art, at times merging the two.

Adam was raised in Canada and now lives in the UK.

Adam’s paintings resemble Francis Bacon’s later works.

Adam Reid is a contemporary Irish artist working in gouache to create dynamic and dramatic figurative paintings. Adam grew up in Canada before moving to London, where he now lives and works. Adam’s paintings primarily take the form of close up portraits or ominous and surreal scenes with ambiguous figures in them.

Adam Reid’s Style

Adam’s portfolio ranges from the expressionist to the abstract. With a style that takes inspiration from Turner and from Bacon, Adam’s paintings have a distinct narrative, yet maintain a mystical quality. ‘The Forge’ series was created in 2019 and consists of paintings that work individually and as a collection. Adam uses a palette of dark, earthy colours, swift lines and a repeated composition to allude at continuous stages of the same observation throughout this series.

Portraiture

Adam’s portrait paintings are unique from the rest of his works. Unlike Adam’s usual dark backdrops and tonal hues, bright reds, yellows and blues flood onto the canvas, at times working their way into the subject matter. By incorporating the foreground and background and vice versa, Adam engages his subjects with their surroundings, making for vibrant and visceral works of art.