DERRICK ADAMS HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER (SUITE OF 9 SCREENPRINTS)

"I don't want to be a celebrity artist. I want to be known for my ideas."-  DERRICK ADAMS

This suite of 9 screenprints, titled HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER, is a commentary on what Adams has referred to as the “joy of the present”. They are celebrations of time set aside for rest and relaxation, but they are also views of leisure that are not typically seen within popular culture. 

The artist saw a 1967 photo spread in Ebony Magazine of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and his family on vacation in Jamaica that stirred his imagination. He wondered “Why aren’t these images promoted? It’s rare that you see images of Civil Rights leaders, or people subject to opposition, presented in a way of leisure and relaxation. If you are a revolutionary, you have to regenerate your energy. There is nothing wrong with that.”

After that, Derrick Adams began to create works that portray Black families participating in leisure and celebratory activities.When asked what gives him inspiration he said “everyday people.”

This suite of nine screen prints with collage was created in the Printshop’s prestigious Publishing Residency Program 2021. Each screen print from How I Spent My Summer contains a swath of deep blue that incorporates bold colors and pencil lines, depicting figures in states of rest and play, and whimsical inflatable pool floats. Derrick Adams, with his serio-comic approach, affirms and celebrates life – past, present and future, surviving and thriving. 

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER (2021) by Derrick Adams is a suite of 9 screen prints with collage. How I Spent My Summer is hand signed and numbered and is an edition of 20. For more information about Derrick Adams or How I Spent My Summer please contact the gallery. Call for Value