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Adrian Landon Brooks (born 1983) studied painting at the San Francisco Art Institute and currently lives and works in Austin, Texas. Brooks works predominantly in the mediums of painting and illustration, often utilizing found materials such as wood, metal, and antique photographs as his unique canvases. He has exhibited extensively throughout the United States and internationally, notably with Antonio Colombo Gallery and Andenken Gallery. In addition to his gallery work, Brooks has also completed large-scale installations and murals for prominent companies such as Meta, Google, and Indeed. His work has been featured in leading art publications including Juxtapoz, VNA, Art Maze Mag, and the West #126 issue of New American Paintings.
Statement
Creating otherworldly backdrops for mystical iconography has long been a driving force in my practice. My work often features cosmic structures like wormholes, starscapes, and portals, serving as monuments to a higher power and purpose. Through this creative process, I aim to share my vision of transcendence and the unseen.
The narratives captured within these pieces depict a transition between realities, utilizing celestial elements, symbolic hands of worship, and raw wooden backgrounds. The high contrast between the bare wood and painted imagery crafts a surreal environment, detached from our conventional notions of time and place. Figures, often slumped or suspended, convey an awkward sense of discomfort and profound yearning, caught in transitional acts of giving and receiving. These scenes present a before-and-after story, offering viewers a glimpse into unfolding mysteries.
My primary intention is to explore universal themes of love, loss, and redemption – subjects that resonate across race or creed. I strive to create worlds too distant to resemble any specific earthly location and sacred rituals that could belong to any culture, inviting a universal reflection on the human experience.