“Eternal Witness” is a show emblematic of the endless pertinence of history. Adams maintains that history is just as relevant today as it ever was when it was happening. The scenarios may change but he pursues the notion that the ideas driving humanity, for instance, the glorification of war or striving for power, remain persistent throughout time. The pyramid, a common structure throughout this series, remains a pinnacle of historic monuments that are significant in themselves but also carry individual projections. In Eternal Symbol 1996, the structure of cosmic proportions that has sparked conspiracy theories about its origins is positioned in an orangey burnt sienna background high above dusts of a cerulean blue sky. Below it rests a mountain range resembling the artist’s studio base in White Rock, a body of water, muddy land, and pale yellow trees with tiny trinkets in them like a Mcdonald’s sign on the lower right hand side.

Jim Adams, Eternal Symbol, 1996. Acrylic on canvas, hand-painted artist frame, 37.75″x 49.5.”

The artist leaves parts of himself in every work, such as depictions of his studio, but none so personal as Nubian Express / Exploration (The Artist Explores His Life), 2019. This portrait represents himself in a spacesuit; a fitting portrayal consistent with the cosmic imagery throughout the series. Adams shows parts of his life to the viewer through memories that orbit his head in planetary bubbles. The front pouch of his suit holds a faculty tag, old paintbrushes, a notebook, and an old polaroid of his wife who passed away. On his arm there is a Canadian flag covering an American flag, symbolizing his birth in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and his current residence in British Columbia, Canada. Another vision of that range lies behind him, only this time they are a great deal larger. The artist leaves the viewer with more hidden messages inscribed on the stones scattering the ground below, one of them reads “dump trump.”

Jim Adams, Nubian Express / Exploration (The Artist Explores his Life), 2019. Acrylic on canvas, hand-painted artist frame, 31.5″ x 41.5.”

Circling back to Adams’ historical depictions, Lil Zoose, 2008, imagines the Greek god in a modern context as a Black man dressed with a cobalt blue nylon hooded zip up jacket and a soft, white polar fleece lining. Under this lies a massive triangular gold necklace, a blue zip-up shirt with a big yellow block and white stripes on either side above what looks to be baggy dark wash denim jeans. Atop his head is a raiders hat beneath a string of pale gold blocks, which resemble a crown, as he is sitting on a throne made of a stereo system. Adams places little details for the viewer to find, for example, a string of sticky notes, and one of them reads “note to self flowers for Hera!!” and “bite me cronus” on a banner below an arch behind the main figure. Above and to the left of that sign is another banner that reads “atlas sucks,” since Atlas was one of the Titans that led the war against Zeus.

Jim Adams “Eternal Witness”
Luis De Jesus Los Angeles
January 9 – February 27, 2021