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Project Name | Art History 101 | Posted in | Painting | Artist | Adam Lister |
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.
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.