Take a trip back to the 70s with artist Alicia Adamerovich’s playful designs. Drawing inspiration from the soft textures of shag carpets and the aesthetics of her childhood home, Adamerovich creates work filled with playful nostalgia that conveys a peaceful easy feeling.
One of the highlights of Adamerovich’s work is her ever-present sense of humor, which she interjects into many of her paintings and illustrations; the full-time artist plans on releasing a new zine called Stool Sample, a series of furniture drawings. No matter what the medium Adamerovich jumps around to—pencil on paper, sculpture, painting, graphic design—the New York-based artist is on a constant exploration of how form and shapes can evoke different feelings and moods.
We visited Alicia at her Bushwick studio to take a look at what she’s been working on.
So what are you working on now?
I’m working on this big painting here, and a bunch of smaller ones for a zine that I’m doing with Nieves, I don’t know if you know that publisher, they’re in Zurich, they do small artist books.
Is it the black and white drawings
Yeah, it’s these furniture ones, it’s kind of gonna be a bunch of strange furniture that kind of feels like it’s alive, or humanoid.
Can you tell us about this one?
I don’t even know what to say about this one. I’m working on, basically, I have two large paintings going, and some smaller ones. I’m trying to do a show out of all of these, they’re mostly about solitary living, and they’re a little surreal.
I really love the color in this one. Is the show going to be mostly in color? I know you do a lot of black and white.
I think so. I have some large drawings, which are just graphite, and that’s basically how I was working until December. I couldn’t really work at home, I have cats, so I can do more color stuff here. I’m kind of working in this really bright palette, but trying to keep everything quiet or still, if that makes sense.
Yeah. That’s rare for paintings with such a warm palette.
Yeah, I had never used blue before, so I’m trying to use it now.
Are you scared to work with it?
I am! But I’m really enjoying it. I still don’t think I could do an all blue painting, though.
Can you tell us about your sculpture? Did you make all of those too?
Yeah, I made those.
Would those be a part of the same show?
Yeah, I think these all will be a part of the same body of work. I think I’m going to make more though, with the same carpet. I want to make some more abstract pieces.
Wait, these are made of carpet!
Yes! I got them from Home Depot, I made some with a scrubber device, too.
What did you study in school?
I studied graphic design.
Where?
Penn State.
Are you from there?
Yeah, I grew up outside of Pittsburgh. Very rural.
How did you wind up in New York?
I worked at a design agency for three years after school in San Francisco, but I just couldn’t do it. Then I came here.
I love the basketball hoop you have.
Oh, yeah! I made that in like 2016 for a show, it was a sports-themed show. And now it’s just here. I think that was one of the first things I made that I actually liked. It takes a while to get into something, and actually like it.
For more from Alicia Adamerovich head to her website.
All photos taken by Livia Lange.
