Adam Parker Smith Toys With Greek Mythology in Vivid Sculptures for "Oneiroi"
Whimsical forms that look like twisted mylar balloons.
Adam Parker Smith is a New York-based sculpture and installation artist who is known for his playful creations that toy with the classical origins of western sculpture. His works often feature abstract assemblages that look like mylar balloons. Smith just launched a new outdoor sculpture exhibition titled “Oneiroi” made in collaboration with Ever Gold [Projects] and The Hole.
The word “Oneiroi” derives from Greek mythology, a name used to describe primordial beings that were the personifications of dreams and had the appearance of black-winged demons. Across his new sculptures, Smith channels the likeness of these mythological figures, but with a pop art twist as the artist employs vivid colors and whimsical silhouettes in their forms. With these pieces, Smith explores “the odd juxtapositions and combinations that occur in our subconscious are accessed here to creatively inform decisions of the conscious mind,” as per a gallery statement.
In regards to his inspirations behind the sculptures, Smith expressed: “In a recent dream, I found myself walking through a dry valley filled with totemic, humanoid statues made from earth and clay. None of these sculptures were my own, nor that of any contemporary artist I’m aware of. They seemed instead like cultural artifacts of perhaps another dimension or something just beyond my reach, an alternate historiography of sculptural practices. Some works were vividly colored while others carried the patina and dusty quality of ruins.”
Check out the installation views for “Oneiroi” in the slideshow above. The show is on view at the McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma, California from July 22 until August 29.
In other stories, international artists have unveiled site-specific works at a London Townhouse as part of a group exhibition called “disCONNECT.”
McEvoy Ranch
5935 Red Hill Rd
Petaluma, CA 94952
