Born in Morristown New Jersey (1972) artist David Adey got his B.A. in Visual Art from Point Loma Nazarene University in 1994 and began a career in graphic design. Some years later, feeling unfulfilled in the field, he studied for and received his MFA in sculpture at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Now based in La Jolla, California, Adey normally spends his days as an arts professor at Point Loma Nazarene University and creating art in his spare time. However, this year is a little different as Adey is currently on a year long sabbatical working on a large solo show which will debut in January 2014 at Scott White Contemporary Art.
While Adey’s body of work ranges from book sculptures that span the length of galleries to studies in kitschy ceramic lambs to meticulously worked collage pieces, it is the latter for which he is best know.
Composed of images of human skin, Adey’s collage pieces are collected en masse via fashion magazines or Google image searches. Once gathered, the artist dissects his treasure trove…. removing all that is not skin – this includes clothing, jewelry, even fingernails. The resultant pieces are then meticulously arranged into something entirely new and beautiful before they are pinned to a white ground, as if insects in an unimaginably elaborate entomological study.
SWARM (2007) – 65 x 40 inches
Materials/Process: Skin is extracted from various fashion magazine ads using a collection of craft punches. Pieces are assembled with pins on a foam panel.
BORN AGAIN (2008) – 48 x 48 inches
Materials/Process: Images of lips from fashion magazines are cut using an assortment of heart-shaped craft punches and assembled with pins on a foam panel.
GRAVITATIONAL RADIUS (2012) – 47 x 47 x 3 1/2 inches
Materials: Digital images, laser-cut digital print, pins, foam panel
Description: Fashion and celebrity images are collected from various online sources via Google image search. Digital prints are laser-cut and pinned to a foam panel.
In addition to David Adey’s upcoming solo show, filmmaker Dale Schierholt is currently completing a documentary on the artist due out this January 2014. Enjoy the eight minute sneak peek/interview with Adey above.
