Derrick Adams

Educated at Columbia and the Pratt Institute, Adams is a multidisciplinary artist known for his celebratory portrayal of everyday life as a black American (his Floater series, which depicts members of his family in the swimming pool, was recently used on a swimwear line for Vilebrequin). Often combining both abstract geometric and more realistic shapes, Adams’ work features in the permanent collections of MOMA and the Whitney, as well the acclaimed Dean Collection, a high-profile selection of African-American art collected by Alicia Keys and Kasseem ‘Swizz Beatz’ Dean.

Did you know?

Adams is the cousin of Rev Run of Run DMC fame.

Country of Birth

USA

Auction Record

$250,000

Figure in the Urban Landscape 31

Christie's

2021

Collections

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA, USA
The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, USA
The Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL, USA

Exhibitions

I Can Show You Better Than I Can Tell You, The FLAG Art Foundation, New York, USA, 2023
Buoyant, Hudson River Museum, New York, USA, 2020
New Icons, Mary Boone Gallery, New York, USA, 2019
Derrick Adams: Transmission, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Denver, USA, 2018
Sanctuary, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, USA, 2018
Future People, Stony Island Arts Bank, Chicago, USA, 2017

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