AgriCulture 1 x Harlem Grown NYC

ABOUT THE ARTIST ADRIAN BRANDON

Adrian Brandon is an artist based in Brooklyn, NY. He works in various media, including but not limited to paint, graphite, digital and ink. Adrian creates art that broadens the narrative of the Black experience and touches on themes of pride, peace and protest. In February 2019, he created the iconic “Stolen” series for Black History Month — a portrait series dedicated to Black people who have been killed by the police. Adrian used time as a medium to define how long each portrait is colored in; one year of life equals one minute of color. The series was celebrated by national news media MSNBC, FastCompany, Variety and Viola Davis herself. Adrian is currently studying at the New York Academy of Art. 

Instagram: @ayy.bee

ARTIST STATEMENT

The Impressions are all about impact, legacy and the power of authenticity. Harlem Grown reminds me that if you are creative and passionate, you have all the tools around you to make something beautiful. All around the shoes, you will find stamped impressions of leaves that I foraged around New York City. The leaf pattern symbolizes what it means to leave your mark on the world and how profoundly powerful nature can be as a tool to fuel work far greater than nature itself. For the color palette, I leaned heavily on clay tones to reflect the many lives that are being molded by the beautiful work of Harlem Grown. From educating young kids to family support to job opportunities, Harlem Grown is not only leaving impressions on those they help feed, but they also leave a mark on those who are fortunate enough to hear their story.