Derrick Adams: Buoyant

Derrick Adams: Buoyant features works from three series that explore the universal experiences of leisure and celebration: the Floaters, We Came to Party and Plan, and Tables Turned.

Through an intimate exploration of “Black normalcy,” Adams (American, born 1970), seen here in a self-portrait from the exhibition, captures an often overlooked aspect of Black lives—the everyday. Often finding that the historical record omits crucial elements of that experience, the artist, raised in Baltimore and now based in Brooklyn, has consciously chosen to fill those gaps with imagery of his own, rooted in his personal reality.

We have all seen images of contented figures lounging on floaties, buoyantly drifting in swimming pools. This classically American iconography has been employed time and again in literature, film, and even commercial art, often signifying the carefree pleasures of life. The American Dream in physical form. But, when recontextualized through a more diverse lens, these sun-soaked figures can reveal a tangle of multifaceted human complexity.

When Derrick Adams wanted to make paintings of pool recreation, he was surprised to find no related images online of people who looked like him. Delving deeper into his research, he discovered images of Martin Luther King Jr. relaxing on vacation with his wife Coretta and wondered why this side of the Civil Rights leader’s life is so little known to the general public.

In an attempt to more accurately depict the wholeness of his life experience and of those around him, Adams began painting the Floaters during his 2016 residency at Project for Empty Space in Newark, New Jersey.

Through the artist’s hand and his vantage point, these bold, colorful portraits feel familiar yet unexpected, archetypal yet new.

“Regardless of all the things that are happening to Black people around the world,” Adams says, “we still find time to connect with each other. If we were constantly in this place of battle, we really couldn’t exist. We need time to replenish our love and faith and joy.”

As he worked on these paintings, his style progressed from painterly (seen here) to more geometric (seen in the next slide).

The Museum’s setting, a unique urban perch along the water, offers a compelling backdrop against which to reflect on Adams’ buoyant images and themes.

The paintings hanging on the wallpaper are courtesy of the artist and Luxembourg & Dayan, New York/London, and Salon 94, New York, as well as lent by Michael Hoeh and other private collectors.

The production of the custom wallpaper for We Came to Party and Plan has been generously donated by twenty2 wallpaper.

“There are many components that make up a complex human being,” Adams explains. “I want these works to connect with people on an emotional level and tap into their lived experiences. Sometimes a normal social gathering can represent a radical space.”

Also in this gallery, four party settings from the Tables Turned series (courtesy of the artist) express a more straightforward note of festivity.

In 2016, these wall sculptures were displayed in Adams’ Culture Club exhibition at Project for Empty Space in Newark, New Jersey, alongside the first Floaters. The artist created these collages out of decorations and utensils he knew would elicit memories and emotions in viewers.

We become the figures at these empty tables; they are literally tipped in our direction, inviting us to join the fun.

This visionary artist is passionate about the power of leisure, in art and in life. The need to rest, relax, and enjoy ourselves after working hard is deeply human. Adams’ paintings challenge traditional notions of privilege by questioning long-held narratives of leisure, and by projecting a world where all people are deserving of seeing themselves reflected on the walls of museums.

Adams and his art testify to the necessity of leisure:

"We work hard. And when I looked around and saw people at a party, laughing and talking, I said, 'We should make art about this. The world needs to see that we’re in this party.'”

The Hudson River Museum is proud to present the work of this preeminent artist, so aligned with our mission to capture the richness of our communities in the galleries. As you peruse this exhibition, we invite you to contemplate the memorable experiences of your own life that are worthy of representation in art and media.

After "Derrick Adams: Buoyant" closes at the Hudson River Museum on August 23, 2020, the exhibition will travel to the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida, which is supporting the development of the project. "We Came to Party and Plan" is extended at the Hudson River Museum through October 18, 2020.

Major sponsorship of the exhibition is made possible by a generous grant from The Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Foundation for the Arts.

This exhibition is also supported in part by the City of Yonkers, Mayor Mike Spano; Luxembourg & Dayan; Rhona Hoffman Gallery; and Salon 94.