Whether it’s painting a huge mural of Biggie or a stylized painting of Tupac, Adam Makkar is a standout talent who is difficult to ignore. Tempo caught up with him…
As a student, Makkar’s artwork adorned the walls of his school the American Community School (ACS). It was his eighth grade art teacher Stephanie Goebel who first noticed his artistic potential, and encouraged him to work on his craft. He later took IB art and started dabbling with different art forms, immersing himself in deeper artistic experimentation.
I voluntarily stop being lazy and get up to work; my pieces turn out better that way.
Makkar, now 19, is majoring in Visual Communications Design and Graphic Design at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington. He comes back to the UAE periodically to visit family and friends.
“I love working with pen, water colours, printmaking tools and spray,” he says.
“I honestly don’t know if I can bring it down to just one simple thing, but I think everything in my life somehow affects the art that I produce.”
“My artistic process is very impulsive. I either work on something for hours on end or ignore it for days. I get these random urges to create something specific and just dive into the work and not do anything but that. Sometimes I plan out the piece, draw out a sketch, experiment with materials and techniques, create Photoshop renditions of what I want to make and test different colour combinations – or I go in blind and do whatever comes to me in the moment. It really all depends on my confidence in the medium and technique I’m using. It also depends on how clear an image I have in my head.”
He adds, “For the most part art is salvageable; if you wipe away at it fast enough or start over entirely you can always end up with the outcome you were hoping for. You don’t have to settle for good enough if it isn’t exactly what you wanted. Sometimes you just have to keep practicing and re-doing things until you’re satisfied, but eventually you’ll get there. I always mess things up, which is why art is good for me… because when I do mess up, I know I can fix it over and over again until its what I want it to be.”
Makkar sees himself becoming a professional tattoo artist: “It’s a way of leaving my mark on something. It’s a form artistic expression that really interests me. I don’t see myself influencing the modern art world in other way, like becoming the next Bansky, or having my worked displayed along with Salvador Dali.”
He says although his parents accept his decision they want him to aspire to more ambitious goals. “But I don’t see myself revolutionizing art or bringing it into a new era. To me, giving people tattoos is enough. People come to me and have complete trust in my vision, and to be able to permanently display that vision on their bodies for others to see for the rest of their life is pretty amazing.”
Makkar has already been approached for commissioned work. He has done a few large artworks like the Tupac and Biggie oil paintings, and smaller pieces like the Big Hero 6 drawing.
He hasn’t exhibited publicly. His only exhibition was at school as part of the IB Art programme.
“I enjoy making art most when I’m being paid for it. I like it when I have to force myself to finish something – not because I have a deadline to meet or an angry teacher to show my piece to, but because the customer will withdraw their commission. When I want to do something right, I voluntarily stop being lazy and get up to work; my pieces turn out better that way.”
By Dina Siada
