Adam Spychala is a talented young artist & designer with an international background and a deep passion for art and aesthetics.
Welcome to our Inner Worlds series, where we step into the personal realms of art lovers from all walks of life, exploring the profound ways in which art is integrated into their lives.
Delve into Adam’s artistic universe, with a hand-picked selection of his favorite pieces on SINGULART:
Can you introduce yourself and your work?
I am an interior designer and artist based in Berlin (www.studio-adam.com & @didyouseeadam). My experiences living in New York City and Japan have deeply inspired my work. New York City, in particular, truly inspires me and holds a special place in my heart, and its energy continues to draw me back year after year.
I paint mostly figurative, both oil and acrylic on canvas. When painting, I try to capture a certain vibe and feeling that I have. Most of my colors are based on the philosophy of Sanzo Wada (1883-1967), a Japanese artist, teacher, costume and kimono designer creating work during a turbulent time in avant-garde Japanese art and cinema.
I also design furniture pieces. My last work, a wall light called Lamp in a Shell, is made out of three simple elements: shoji paper, bamboo and papier-mâché, covered in shiny tile glaze. Currently, I am working on a commissioned painting for a very cool couple in Brooklyn, New York City. I also started offering high-quality art print reproductions of my work, they do justice to the real painting.
Can you describe the beginning of your art world journey?
It started when I moved to New York as a student, into a gorgeous loft in Soho. It was surreal. An elevator took me from the street into the apartment. The walls were filled with art, there was even an Egon Schiele original. One of my neighbors was Kate Moss and on my other side was the shop and studio of a famous high-end fashion designer. Watching how the latest fashion was designed while having my breakfast cereal was pretty unique.
My roommate was a furniture designer with a lot of hip clients. He frequently took me to his studio and introduced me to the scene. My other roommate was a design director, working on creative videos for Jay-Z among others. I was able to see first-hand how amazing videos were being made. Being exposed to this world–which I only knew from movies–sparked my desire to contribute to it.
As a creative individual, how does the art around you influence your own creative process and ideas?
These days, screen time is pretty high for most people, looking at art online is inspiring but only requires a short attention span, a bit too fast for my personal taste. Being surrounded by a creative environment and home fuels my creativity. The more diverse the art around me is, the better. Creativity should come from within, but inspiration is something external to me.
How do your various adventures and experiences influence the art you choose for your personal space?
Living in New York City and Japan, now in Berlin, has introduced me to so many different styles and aesthetics. These adventures and experiences have created a certain feeling and when something I see (e.g. a new piece of art) evokes this feeling, I feel drawn towards that piece. Not only does it connect me back to the feeling I had, but it also adds a new layer. This is how I imagine personal taste evolves: Past experiences topped with new ones.
Describe your living space. What does it say about you?
My house is a real oasis in the center of Berlin, built around 1900. It is on the first floor with high ceilings and wooden floors, on a charming and calm street, overlooking a small park. I was very lucky to find this place and I fell in love with its spaciousness and tranquility.
My living room is my space to unwind, to relax, to read, to dance and to watch movies on a projector. There is also a balcony with lots of plants, a wooden floor and a view into green trees. In my loft room, I have a long table by Objekte Unserer Tage, a Berlin-based furniture designer. It is the centerpiece of this room. I love cooking and hosting dinner parties.
Your space seems great for gatherings. How does your art collection become a conversation starter?
When someone comes over for the first time, my gallery wall of artworks really stands out, and it is interesting to see which art pieces they point out and which hidden gems are never noticed at first, but maybe later on. My friends notice new art pieces and are always curious about these, where they come from, who the artist is etc. Everytime I finish a painting, I invite friends over for an “opening.” It is not really an opening, just an excuse to meet and celebrate life.
Are there specific pieces in your art collection that you have a particularly sentimental attachment to? What makes them special?
A photograph a friend took in the 90s in New York. A yellow taxicab at night, with two men chatting inside. It looks like it is straight from a movie scene. He captured the image during an evening stroll, and looking at the photo always brings me back to New York. Also, it somehow reminds me of the 80s film “After Hours” by Martin Scorsese.
If you could add any artwork(s) to your personal collection, what would it be?
Orange, Red, Yellow by Mark Rothko
Midnight Truth by Yoshitomo Nara
The Dream by Henri Rousseau
Beyond aesthetics, has your taste in art evolved over time, reflecting personal growth or changes in your life?
Certainly, personal taste is constantly evolving, except for those timeless classics. However, there are some things that are too complex to be understood immediately. People like what is familiar to them, but even things that are familiar can contain a component that is new. This new component is the interesting part which helps one to develop their taste. On top of that, many people go through different phases in life, like artists who might have an orange phase and later a blue one. Ultimately, I believe it is a combination of two things: personal taste that evolves through iterations and the phases that appear throughout life.
What are your hobbies? How do you spend your free time?
I lived in a buddhist temple (正願寺, Shuki, Oita, Japan) and still meditate every morning for 30 min on my living room rug, followed by a green tea. It’s important to me to have inner peace and a balance, this is the basis for everything. This morning routine is my daily ritual.
In Japan, I learned how to really pay attention to details. It adds so much depth and nuance to the world around us. Aesthetics are at my very core and visual beauty is something that fascinates me and that I simply cannot resist. So, I love strolling around, it can be in the apartment, in a city or in nature. I always think about the Georgia O’Keeffe quote: “Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small it takes time – we haven’t time – and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.”
Besides that, I absolutely love watching movies, especially by Studio Ghibli, Paolo Sorrentino, Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan. The rest of my free time I spend diving into art and design books, this is the best place to dream.
Before you go, what advice would you give to someone who is just starting their journey as an art collector?
You have to love an art piece when you see it for the second time. You may often see a piece of art and you love it, but in many cases, it is actually simple and without layers, so you only truly liked it at first glance. When coming back to it, if it is still a match, then you truly love it. Personal taste is individual, listen to your gut feeling. Don’t collect as a business model, collect what you love. Even if the art does not increase in value, you are still surrounded by pieces you adore.
Delve into Adam’s artistic universe, with a hand-picked selection of his favorite pieces on SINGULART:
