I have few regrets in life, but not buying a painting by Adam Lee back in 2011 when we first featured his work is certainly up there! Over the past 10+ years, Adam has built a remarkable career – his haunting, atmospheric landscape-like paintings are now highly coveted, and the artist has exhibited extensively in Australia, Europe and North America.
This month, Adam’s spectacular works find a new outlet, in a limited edition book called Votive, published locally by the clever folk at Perimeter Editions. This beautiful, 112 page book is structured around three major bodies of work – Adam’s exhibitions in Toronto, Melbourne and London. ‘The paintings are incredibly rich in both their palette and their symbolism’ says publisher Dan Rule. ‘They take on themes as grand (and as intimate) as spirituality, place and family. I feel like it’s a very personal book in that sense’.
Having known one another for many years, the collaboration between Adam and publishers Dan Rule and Justine Ellis of Perimeter Editions was underpinned by a great admiration for one another’s work. ‘We really developed the material and design languages from the ground up “in conversation” with Adam’s work’ Dan explains. ‘We wanted the book form to somehow reflect the qualities of Adam’s paintings and vision… There’s a softness and porousness to the materials that evoke the surfaces and qualities of the paintings’.
As a respected art critic / reviewer in a former life, Dan brings an especially sensitive approach to the making of Perimeter’s art editions. ‘Making books is all about collaboration and relationships’ he muses. ‘Working with Adam, Hayman Design and STATION (Adam’s Gallery) has been an absolute pleasure, and it feels as though we’ve been able to create a book that has surpassed all of our expectations’.
For his part, Adam is characteristically modest. ’I feel pretty honoured to be working with the Perimeter team and Hayman Design’ he says. ‘It’s strange but I think something happens as soon as you commit artwork to print form. Even in this age of all things digital, a book somehow solidifies the work forever’.
For more information visit Perimetereditions.com/VOTIVE
