Albert George Adams Paintings

Albert George Adams was an artist born on December 23, 1922, in Harlesden, North West London. He was of mixed race heritage, with his father being from St. Helena in the South Atlantic and his mother from England. Adams faced racial prejudices growing up, which influenced his perspectives and later his artwork.

During World War II, Adams was a conscientious objector. He studied at St. Martin’s School of Art from 1940 to 1944 but was refused entry into the Royal College of Art because of his political views and race. Undeterred, Adams continued his studies at the Slade School of Fine Art from 1948 to 1951 under the tutelage of influential teachers such as Lucian Freud.

Throughout his career, Adams was known for his strong, expressionist style that often reflected his views on human rights, injustice, and the absurdity of war. His work was influenced by artists like Francisco Goya and Käthe Kollwitz. Although he was well-regarded by his contemporaries, mainstream success eluded him for much of his career, possibly due to his political beliefs and the challenging nature of his work.

Adams spent much of his life teaching, holding a position at the City of London Polytechnic from 1962 until 1987. He was also a guest lecturer in countries such as Germany and the United States. Despite his limited commercial success, Adams continued to create art that was intense, confrontational, and deeply humanistic.

Adams' work received more recognition later in his life. In 1989, he was the subject of a retrospective at the Seitz Gallery in London. In 1990, he moved to South Africa, where he lived for the remainder of his life. His experiences under apartheid further deepened his commitment to addressing social issues through his art.

Albert Adams died on December 31, 2006, in Cape Town, South Africa. His legacy lives on through his powerful artworks, which are held in various collections, including the British Museum. Adams' life and work serve as a poignant reminder of the role of the artist as social commentator and the power of art to challenge and reflect upon the human condition.