Artspace New Haven Solo Exhibition

Kwadrilaterals Iteration I, Oil on Canvas, 72 x 72 inches

Kwaterlaterals Iteration II, Oil on Canvas, 72 x 72 inches


"Kwadwo Adae's eye candy canvases—the four-panel "Kwadrilateral Iterations I" and "Kwadrilateral Iterations II"—approach oil paint not just as a painting medium but also as a sculptural medium. Adae covers the base of his canvas with brash color designs; these are really eye-popping works. With some—"XXIV," "XXIII," "XVII"—he uses broad brush strokes that circle, swerve and roll. The bristles create grooves like a vinyl record. Other panels are notable for more precise design attention. In "XXIX," pink forms evoke a kind of sci-fi architecture. Adae adorns this base with tufts and dots and worms of paint that add three-dimensional character. They suggest Hershey's kisses, paisleys, centipedes, dragons, microscopic life forms, or miniature mountainous landscapes. Adae takes an evident joy in both the color and the materiality of the paint and his pleasure is contagious."
-Hank Hoffman