BISBEE — Cey Adams has been around.
Adams was around designing album covers back when visually creating art for an actual 12-inch vinyl record was the order of the day. The gifted Adams began in his teen years as a graffiti artist in the 1970’s.
Since those early days of his graphic career in the late ’70’s and early ’80’s, Adams’ career has taken off to stratospheric acclaim. The New York artist is prolific in several mediums including murals, collage, logo art and multi-media. Adams is also an author. He was the founding creative director of Def Jam Recordings and has collaborated with a veritable who’s who in the arts over 40 plus years.
Graphic artist Cey Adams' work is on exhibition at Bisbee's Artemizia Foundation Gallery on Tombstone Canyon. MARK LEVY HERALD/REVIEW
“That was so long ago; I was like a teenager," Adams said of his beginnings. "I sort of just imagined hopefully making the work I wanted to make. I was a kid. I just wanted to make work and really let people know I was alive,” he said with a laugh. “I’m here, I exist. I’m doing something that I think is important and hopefully somebody else will too.”
Artemizia Foundation Museum Gallery Director Sloane Bouchever first learned about Cey Adams from friends who founded the Museum of Graffiti.
Cey Adams' art encompasses a variety of medium including collage, murals, painting and writing.. MARK LEVY HERALD/REVIEW
“I noticed Cey on their Instagram and thought he looked like a really interesting cool person," Bouchever said. "The more I learned about him, the more I wanted to meet him. I was introduced by Alan Ket and Cey and I just connected. He came to Bisbee while we were still renovating 818 Tombstone Canyon from a hotel into our museum, and he painted one of his famous “LOVE” murals in our labyrinth.”
Bouchever then commissioned a half size American flag like the one Adams created for the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
“We kept in touch," Bouchever said. "I hired Cey to design our logo, and we just started discussing a one man show at Artemizia.”
New York artist Cey Adams interacts with gallery goers at his Artemizia Gallery exhibition opening on October 26th in Bisbee. The exhibition runs through December 8. MARK LEVY HERALD/REVIEW
Bouchever believes having an artist like Adams come to Bisbee and show his original artwork at Artemizia Gallery 818 is extraordinary for the community.
The Cey Adams exhibit opened at Artemizia on October 26th. At the opening Adams talked about how he has benefitted from technological advancements made since he became a viable graphic artist over 40-years ago.
“Technology helps a lot," Adams said. "I can use digital technology to get my ideas onto the surface/canvas I’m working on.”
The Cey Adams Artemizia Foundation Gallery exhibition is sponsored by JUXTAPOZ Art and Culture Magazine. MARK LEVY HERALD/REVIEW
Adams mentions it saves a step then he can begin the painting process, which can also be time consuming due to the course or rough surfaces he may use. Digitization also assists in visualizing the subject in advance which helps in the creation of the art.
Adams’ outlook on his life and art is open-ended.
“I don’t spend any time thinking about the future — ever!" he emphasized. "I didn’t think about the future when I was in my twenties, I didn’t think about my future in my thirties. Now I’m in my sixties, I still don’t think about the future. All I care about is the time that is right in front me — like right now."
Cey Adams’ exhibition will be at the Artemizia Foundation Museum Gallery in Bisbee through December 8. The exhibition is sponsored by Juxtapoz Magazine.
The acclaimed Cey Adams has been a working artist since he was a teenager in the late 1970s. Many of Adams' works include the usage of well known logos. MARK LEVY HERALD/REVIEW