Kwadrilaterals: Discourses in Abstraction
The Kwadrilaterals series of nonobjective oil paintings pays homage to the vibrant colors and patterns associated with the traditional patterned textiles of traditional Ntoma and Kente cloths of the Kwahu and Akwapim tribes of Ghana.
"Kwadwo Adae's eye candy canvases approach oil paint not just as a painting medium but also as a sculptural medium. Adae covers the base of his canvas with brash color designs; these are really eye-popping works. With some he uses broad brush strokes that circle, swerve and roll. The bristles create grooves like a vinyl record. Other panels are notable for more precise design attention. Forms evoke a kind of sci-fi architecture. Adae adorns this base with tufts and dots and worms of paint that add three-dimensional character. They suggest Hershey's kisses, paisleys, centipedes, dragons, microscopic life forms, or miniature mountainous landscapes. Adae takes an evident joy in both the color and the materiality of the paint and his pleasure is contagious."
-Hank Hoffman
The Arts Paper
2009