JJ Adams

Punking-up portraits since 2009 there’s a new kid in town who blends the arts of a tattooist with those of a graffiti-smith in the most eye-catching compositions we’ve witnessed in a long time. While they may lack Banksy’s political edge, JJ Adams’ feverishly grafted visions of almost dystopian ideals are graphically on a par for our money. Putting the ‘hip’ in hipster and the ‘sex’ in existential, JJ Adams’ visual style and illustrative deportment is edgy, provocative and above all else, ruddy awesome. But the question is, just where did it all go so right for the double initialled contemporary fine art practitioner?!
Well, the tale kicks off back on an entirely different continent in the early 1980s, when the son of a Baptist preacher man (very nearly a Bananarama lyric if we’re not careful), was raised; having being born in Blighty (Plymouth to be geographically precise on this issue), prior to his parent’s choosing to emigrate to Cape Town thereafter. It was here, during his formative years that JJ Adams elected to spend time hanging around the studio belonging to South African contemporary landscape artist, Derric van Rensburg. And it was there where he was first exposed to what he refers to as ‘graphic art’, and the vivid hues and saturations indicative of the more street aspect of the genre.

Suitably inspired to pursue a career in an illustrative arena, JJ Adams won himself a place at Cape College, where he studied Graphic Design; which he balanced with apprenticeship-serving at central Cape Town’s ‘Wildfire Tattoos’. And as if that youthful schedule wasn’t hectic enough, he JJ Adams also found the time to squeeze in a bit of part-time backstage crew work for international bands who were performing in the post-Apartheid era South Africa. It wasn’t until 1998 that JJ Adams eventually answered the call of his native UK, and only then due to harbouring ambitions of becoming a practising tattoo artist in his own right.

Alas that aspiration didn’t materialise in the way he’d hoped it would, and subsequently spent a number of years which followed eking out a living in London’s Camden Market, before relocating to Plymouth to go back to school. Or to be more accurate, Plymouth’s College of Art and Design where he enrolled on a commercial printing course. On the back of this JJ Adams spent several years thereafter employed as a graphic designer in the South West, finally moving into sign making and advertising. Yet throughout this passage of time, JJ Adams had kept his artistic hand in after hours. Which led to the next chapter of his professional life and times.

After accumulating a body of illustrative work, JJ Adams decided to test the water by looking to sell some of his acrylic paintings via a local art gallery. The year was 2009 and bowled over by the initial response, the budding artist then made the decision to return to London and make a concerted effort at making art his career at that stage. And without sounding too clichéd, the rest is pretty much history. In terms of what JJ Adams prefers to facilitate to create his visually ballsy, heavily graffiti-influenced pieces which have helped launch him into the contemporary art stratosphere in more recent times, he routinely opts for a mixed media approach and application, habitually reaching for anything from spray paint and collage to screen printing and digital matte, not to mention flashes of photography thrown in for good measure.

Inspiration-wise, and JJ Adams makes no bones about having a lot to thank the likes of Norman Rockwell, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Sir Peter Blake for, whilst elsewhere he freely admits to having taken a number of illustrative pointers from more obscure art exponents, such as Guy Peelleart, Hipgnosis and Storm Thorgerson, together with lowbrow artists like Coop, Jim Phillips and Graham Coton (who for the record, was a World War II comic book artist). As of today, JJ Adams works out of his Woolwich studio, situated in South East London, and which overlooks the Thames Barrier.
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Picture of Collect Call - 3D Sculpture Series

Collect Call - 3D Sculpture Series

JJ Adams New Release
£795.00
Picture of Dolly

Dolly

JJ Adams New Release May 2024
£545.00
Picture of You've Been Called For

You've Been Called For

JJ Adams New Release Spring Collection 2024
£545.00
Picture of Clifftop Scramble

Clifftop Scramble

JJ Adams New Release Spring Collection 2024
£545.00
Picture of Long Walk, Short Pier

Long Walk, Short Pier

JJ Adams New Release Spring Collection 2024
£545.00
Picture of Doc's Auto Storage

Doc's Auto Storage

JJ Adams New Release Spring Collection 2024
£545.00
Picture of Enemy Coast Ahead

Enemy Coast Ahead

JJ Adams New Release Spring Collection 2024
£545.00
Picture of I Want It All (Freddie Mercury)

I Want It All (Freddie Mercury)

JJ Adams New Release Spring Collection 2024
£545.00
Picture of I'm Your Man (George Michael)

I'm Your Man (George Michael)

JJ Adams New Release Spring Collection 2024
£545.00
Picture of Animal Shelter

Animal Shelter

JJ Adams New Release Spring 2024 Collection
£620.00
Picture of The Hills Are Alive

The Hills Are Alive

JJ Adams New Release Spring 2024 Collection
£1,295.00
Picture of Happy Again

Happy Again

JJ Adams New Release Spring 2024 Collection
£1,295.00
Picture of Romeo and Juliet Glass Embellished Metallic Edition
Picture of It's Not Cheap (The London Punk)

It's Not Cheap (The London Punk)

JJ Adams New Release
£1,195.00
Picture of Imperial Shopping

Imperial Shopping

JJ Adams New Release
£545.00
Picture of Hit Me Baby One More Time

Hit Me Baby One More Time

£595.00
Picture of Trumps Liberty

Trumps Liberty

£620.00
Picture of From Russia with Love

From Russia with Love

£265.00
Picture of Life's a Beach

Life's a Beach

£620.00
Picture of Un-usual Suspects

Un-usual Suspects

£620.00
Picture of We Girls Can Do Anything

We Girls Can Do Anything

£545.00
Picture of Send in the Clowns

Send in the Clowns

£545.00
Picture of Double Feature

Double Feature

£545.00
Picture of The Approaching Storm

The Approaching Storm

£545.00
Picture of A Whales Tale

A Whales Tale

£545.00
Picture of My Generation

My Generation

£545.00
Picture of Rusty Innards

Rusty Innards

£545.00
Picture of Pretty Woman- TV Guide

Pretty Woman- TV Guide

£325.00
Picture of We're All Mad Here

We're All Mad Here

£620.00
Picture of Concrete Jungle

Concrete Jungle

£620.00
Picture of Tell Me About It Stud (B/W)

Tell Me About It Stud (B/W)

£545.00
Picture of Tell Me About It Stud - Colour

Tell Me About It Stud - Colour

£545.00
Picture of Under The Pier

Under The Pier

£545.00
Picture of Titanic Return

Titanic Return

£545.00
Picture of The Ballad Of TK421

The Ballad Of TK421

£545.00
Picture of Highland Hunk - Turquoise

Highland Hunk - Turquoise

£545.00
Picture of Highland Hunk - Purple

Highland Hunk - Purple

£545.00
Picture of Highland Hunk - Gold

Highland Hunk - Gold

£545.00
Picture of The Kings Return

The Kings Return

£545.00
Picture of Ditto

Ditto

£545.00
Picture of Ditto - Black & White

Ditto - Black & White

£545.00
Picture of Cupid & Pysche 2023

Cupid & Pysche 2023

£545.00
Picture of Make Art not War- Bomb Sculpture

Make Art not War- Bomb Sculpture

SOLD Please Enquire for Similar Originals
£895.00
Picture of Ace of Spades Bomb- Sculpture

Ace of Spades Bomb- Sculpture

£895.00
Picture of Boom Bomb

Boom Bomb

£895.00
Picture of Doc's Auto Trader (In Stock)

Doc's Auto Trader (In Stock)

£14,850.00
Picture of Still Life II (with Garfield) (In Stock)

Still Life II (with Garfield) (In Stock)

£14,850.00
Picture of Mouse Fight II (The Rematch)

Mouse Fight II (The Rematch)

£620.00
Picture of Last Flight From Earth

Last Flight From Earth

£545.00
Picture of On Vacation II (Black & White)

On Vacation II (Black & White)

£545.00
Picture of On Vacation II

On Vacation II

£545.00
Picture of Dorothy-TV Guide Special

Dorothy-TV Guide Special

£325.00
Picture of Hit Me Baby, One More Time

Hit Me Baby, One More Time

£593.80
Picture of Hit Me Baby, One More Time (Black & White)
Picture of Bettie Page Tattoo II (Black & White)

Bettie Page Tattoo II (Black & White)

£545.00
Picture of Bettie Page Tattoo II

Bettie Page Tattoo II

£593.20
Picture of Robot's Arcade

Robot's Arcade

£545.00
Picture of Doc's Auto Trader

Doc's Auto Trader

£545.00
Picture of Scoundrel- Black and White

Scoundrel- Black and White

£595.00
Picture of Mod Save the Queen- Flag

Mod Save the Queen- Flag

£690.00
Picture of God Save the Queen- Flag

God Save the Queen- Flag

£690.00
Picture of Bullitt from a Gun- Black and White

Bullitt from a Gun- Black and White

£545.00
Picture of Rock Star Rogue- Black and White

Rock Star Rogue- Black and White

£545.00
Picture of Cool Britannia

Cool Britannia

£595.00
Picture of Time Travellers Return

Time Travellers Return

£545.00
Picture of Art Bomb

Art Bomb

£545.00
Picture of Rock Star Rogue

Rock Star Rogue

£545.00
Picture of Campbell's Punk Soup

Campbell's Punk Soup

£395.00
Picture of Campbell's MOD Soup

Campbell's MOD Soup

£395.00
Picture of Your Worshipfulness- Black and White

Your Worshipfulness- Black and White

£595.00
Picture of Smoking Gun- James Dean

Smoking Gun- James Dean

£545.00
Picture of Smoking Gun- James Dean- Black and White

Smoking Gun- James Dean- Black and White

£595.00
Picture of Smoking Gun- Marilyn- Black and White

Smoking Gun- Marilyn- Black and White

£545.00
Picture of Smoking Gun- Marilyn

Smoking Gun- Marilyn

£545.00
Picture of Smoking Gun- Brando - Black and White

Smoking Gun- Brando - Black and White

£545.00
Picture of Smoking Gun- Brando

Smoking Gun- Brando

£545.00
Picture of Dodgems

Dodgems

£557.00
Picture of Music's Most Wanted

Music's Most Wanted

£620.00
Picture of Play with Me

Play with Me

£595.00
Picture of Clever Girl- White Frame

Clever Girl- White Frame

£490.00
Picture of Clever Girl- Black Frame

Clever Girl- Black Frame

£490.00
Picture of Temptation of God by Dave (From Brighton)- White Frame
Picture of Temptation of God by Dave (From Brighton)- Black Frame
Picture of Pussay Patrol- Black Frame

Pussay Patrol- Black Frame

£560.00
Picture of Pussay Patrol- White Frame

Pussay Patrol- White Frame

£560.00
Picture of 99 Problems - B&W

99 Problems - B&W

£488.20
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99 Problems

£488.20
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Irn- Bru Soup

£345.00
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Rainbow Soup

£345.00
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Get Up, Stand Up

£395.00
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Thug Life

£395.00
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Purple Haze

£395.00
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When the Doves Cry

£395.00
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Girls Night Out

£560.00
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Bye- Gone Shopping Centre

£560.00
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Misters of the Universe

£490.00