Opinions of Art Critics

Through five centuries of western art, the human form has been the predominant subject of artists. In the mid-20th century, a radical shift occurred with the advent of modernism. In exhibitions, education, and the media the new focus became abstract, minimalist, and conceptual art. Little attention was paid to the contemporary realist artist. It was against this current that Adam Grant developed his strongly identifiable style as a distinctive painter of the figure. From his earliest days until the end of his life, this concentration never wavered. The classical nude became his forte and, as a Holocaust survivor, Adam Grant discovered and developed the female figure as a symbol of life and rebirth. His majestic large oils reveal a deep devotion to his subject. His humor, soulfulness, and dramatic flair are further revealed in the musicians, circus figures, mystics, and biblical figures who move through his compositions like repertory actors.

Peggy Grant

Adam Grant occupies a very special place in the history of post-war American art. His extraordinary experiences as a victim of the Nazis and his liberation and migration to America tell a remarkable story which becomes amplified by his outstanding contribution to the visual arts culture of his new country. Perhaps no artist has been more honored by the Butler Institute than Adam Grant, whose success in our National Midyear shows and highly regarded retrospective exhibition curated by Clyde Singer and Joe Butler, are truly great achievements indeed. His work in the Butler Institute’s permanent collection is both admired and sincerely cherished.

Dr. Louis A. Zona, Director
The Butler Institute of American Art

Grants’ paintings resonate with the passion of an artist who was fascinated by the human condition. The acuity of the artist’s vision brings that which is truly American to his work – a resounding diversity and breadth of life. The poetry of Adam Grant’s work can be found in his ability to render the figure, then capture the nuances with an abstract quality akin to Cézanne’s later works or to the style of Georgio Morandi. Grant’s work resonates with a psychic connectedness between body, mind and spirit and a connection to a larger force. The paintings of Adam Grant are both timeless yet of their time and, as most great masterworks, continually transform viewers.

Jane Burns, Director
Midwest Museum of American Art