Adnate is an artist that realizes his portraits in spray paint. He has moved past his roots in graffiti, utilizing the medium to carry his realist style into the fine art realm.
Heavily influenced by the chiaroscuro of renaissance painters like Caravaggio, Adnate embraces portraiture like the masters of the XXI Century.
Elevating graffiti art above the level of letter writing, Adnate’s subject matter and their subsequent status often belies the intent of his portraits. The gaze of modern society, cropped with colour from the street/ renaissance, he examines the idea of who we are looking at. In particular, those who we are obsessed by and how fragile the origin of that obsession is.
His works are often cropped by evocative slices of vibrant colour, channelling a presence of character, much like a still life uses it’s background as a setting for detail and showing of fine brushstrokes. Adnate’s realism is highlighted by the use of what appears careless, but is frequently calculated blocks of vibrant colour.
Adnate’s work can be seen in Barcelona, Berlin, Mumbai, New York, Paris and Sydney. He is frequently commissioned by the city of Melbourne, the city where he resides – the outcomes of which you can see on a multitude of walls and buildings throughout urban areas. He has proven himself a master of large-scale painting – his largest mural stretching up to 23 metres in height.
Adnate is considered one of the most influential street artists in Australia and has used his artistic practice to draw focus to the indigenous peoples of Australia. He has worked closely with a cultural advisor and has spent time in indigenous communities to ensure that he is portraying his subjects with the upmost respect.
