Art History Pixelated : New Watercolour Paintings by Adam Lister
Words by Alex Cordier
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Art History Pixelated : New Watercolour Paintings by Adam Lister
Words by Alex Cordier
Adam Lister’s new print series, ‘Art History 101’ is an insightful look into the collective memory of culture and arts through a modern lens.
Adam Lister studied at New York’s School of Visual Arts where he graduated in 2003. Through his work, he found a way to explore his love for 8-bit graphics by creating watercolours with pixel-like shapes. Previously, he explored figures from popular culture with his digital stylings, representing characters from the television and movie world. These include portraits of ‘Star Wars’ characters like Yoda and Princess Leia, and scenes from ‘The Godfather’. Now Lister has moved towards the topic of art history, which is something he holds a deep passion and respect for.
‘Art History 101’ deconstructs popular artworks throughout history and represents them as minimal watercolours with pixelated forms. Lister has recently released a full range of prints covering the bulk of art history. From Michelangelo’s ‘David’ to Edward Hopper’s ‘Nighthawks’, the series is an exploration into the compositions, colours, and shapes that have defined the art world.
American Gothic, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Grant Wood, 1930).
David, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Marble statue by Michelangelo, 1501-4).
Nighthawks, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Edward Hopper, 1942).
Café Terrace at Night, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Vincent van Gogh, 1888).
The Empire of Light, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Marble statue by René Magritte, 1953-4).
Still Life, Drapery, Pitcher, and Fruit Bowl, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Paul Cézanne, 1893–1894).
Dancers Practicing at the Barre, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Edgar Degas, 1876-77).
There is often a stigma surrounding video games and pixel art which can be disregarded as childish and therefore less valid. The 8-bit stylings in Adam Lister’s work however make us question why we hold these assumptions. The video game inspiration relates his work to the childhood memories of many, connecting to generations of video gamers and eliciting a warm response tinged with nostalgia. Lister’s work showcases his ability to combine two worlds together by linking this feeling of nostalgia to familiar images of historical artworks. He is connecting the joy of saving princess Zelda on Nintendo 64 to the depth and sincerity of Van Gogh’s portraits, the thrill of blowing up asteroids on an Atari to the chaotic elegance of ‘The Birth of Venus.’ He’s smudging the lines between the arts and gaming worlds.
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Georges-Pierre Seurat, 1884–1886).
The Card Players, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Paul Cézanne, 1895).
Las Meninas, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Diego Velázquez, 1656).
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Pablo Picasso, 1907).
Mona Lisa, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Leonardo da Vinci, 1503–06, perhaps continuing until 1517).
Classical art was influenced by mathematics. This was further explored by artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci during the 16th century Renaissance. Working with pixel-like geometrics to recreate forms is also heavily based on mathematics. Adam Lister furthers his connection between the past and present views on art by rejuvenating the way mathematics is used to create forms, by attacking light, perspective, and form with sharp-edged shapes. Lister’s unique forms are indicative of his willingness to compromise with different eras of thinking in art to make them work within his own style, further exemplifying how his work connects with different generations of artists by re-appropriating traditional mathematical techniques.
Adam Lister’s series ‘Art History 101’ abstracts the familiar through forms of popular culture, connecting aspects of modern and historical design together, and bringing a childlike youth to traditional images. His geometric forms are mathematically constructed and emotionally connect with an audience to bring worlds together.
Water Lilies, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Claude Monet, 1906).
Olympia, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Édouard Manet, 1863).
Ophelia, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by John Everett Millais, 1851–1852).
The Garden of Earthly Delights, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Hieronymus Bosch, 1490-1510).
La Princesse de Broglie, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1853).
The Arnolfini Portrait, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Jan van Eyck, 1434).
Starry Night Over the Rhône, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Vincent van Gogh, 1888).
The Birth of Venus, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, 1753-5).
The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Woodblock Print by Katsushika Hokusai , 1829–1833).
The Kiss, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Gustav Klimt, 1907-8).
The Last Supper, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Leonardo da Vinci, 1494).
The Persistence of Memory, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Salvador Dalí, 1931).
The Son of Man, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by René Magritte, 1964).
The Scream, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Edvard Munch, 1893).
The Starry Night at MOMA, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister. Original painting (The Starry Night) by Vincent van Gogh, 1888.
Three Sunflowers in a Vase, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Vincent van Gogh, 1888).
Van Gogh self-portrait, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Vincent van Gogh, 1889).
Venus of Urbino, Art History 101 series by Adam Lister.
(Original Painting by Titian, 1538).