Playful, quirky, cheerful, primitive, these are just some words that appropriately describe the work of New York-born artist Adam Handler. Growing up, Handler spent a large proportion of his childhood at his grandparents’ framing factory in Brooklyn where he became fascinated with art at a young age. Though he was surrounded by the works of art titans including Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Willem de Kooning and Henri Matisse, it was not until he was 18 or so that he began experimenting with painting and developed his own brilliantly saturated, whimsical visual universe.
Nintendo GHOST Abduction in Mystery Land is a prime example of Handler’s beloved Ghosts series. Featuring a collection of phantom creatures rendered in a simple, childlike manner, Handler provides a different perspective on subjects that are often frightening, instead imbuing them with optimism through vivid colours. Set against backdrops of rain and polka dots, the series is rooted in Handler’s desire to capture feelings of nostalgia and freedom. He cites making something his young son admires and would be proud of as one of his main motivators.
Having shown work at exhibitions all around the world, from New York to Seoul, Handler recently marked his United Kingdom debut with a solo show hosted by D’Stassi Art in London (19 November – 5 December 2021).