Adriana Oliver:
This Time, Tomorrow
2022  04.08 — 04.24

Overview

Born in 1990 to a family of sculptors, Oliver was raised in an environment in close proximity to the world of art, encouraging her to pursue her own artistic career as a photographer, before turning her hand to painting. Finding that there were no restrictions on use of colour or the technical strokes of a brush, Oliver discovered the freedom and creative expression that painting allows, beginning her career as a painter in earnest. Her style has developed into a distinctly unique form of portraiture rendered in subdued colours, and has been exhibited in galleries across Europe, America, Canada, Brazil and Taiwan. Her work has also received a great deal of attention within cultural spheres worldwide, as well as the domestic and international art markets.
 
Oliver uses photographs and cinematography from the 50’ s and 60’ s as a motif in which to depict her subject matter, which often takes inspiration from various aspects of everyday life. On first viewing, there is a steady consistency to her style and technique, on which she says; ‘I never have a need to give identity to my characters’ . This deliberate ambiguity provides a di erent framework in which to view her portraits, telling a story but losing their immediate visual identity and o ering a decisive contrast to the historical context in which portraiture exists. This unique approach also serves to flatten out preconceived gender roles of her characters, something which she has always emphasised in her works.
 
The graphic way in which she renders her subjects and the deliberate choice to not depict the eyes of her figures, a facial feature that plays a significant role in the deciphering of facial expressions, serve to emphasise the absence of what Oliver calls ‘identity’ . The characters within her works, with their expressionless faces, embody the mass appeal and visual impact inherited from Pop Art, whilst simultaneously correlating with the anonymity of our contemporary information society, in which respective communication is becoming increasingly difficult.
 
‘This Time, Tomorrow’ will mark Oliver’ s first show in Japan in almost two years. The title itself is a declaration of the artist’ s sentiment ‘to be there and be present for someone no matter what the circumstances or regardless [of] time, I will always be here, this time tomorrow.’ In this time of great global change, Oliver’ s works demonstrate a calm yet unique presence and an example of art’ s peaceful power to communicate with its audience.
 
The exhibition will make full use of the gallery space and o er an opportunity to reevaluate the characters within each of her works, featuring all new artworks, including a large three-metre canvas work and Oliver’ s first ever three-dimensional bronze sculpture. An edition of small sculptural works will also be produced in conjunction with the exhibition, as well as a range of related merchandise that will be available in the gallery.

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