Ad Arma

‘Make timeless works! Nothing to do with trends. I alone decide when a work is finished, what is good and what is not.’

Welcome at the official website of Ad Arma, an artist who is wholly engrossed within a world of his own, and who immerses in the space of night.

Ad Arma is a versatile artist. Besides etchings, he creates bronze sculptures, gouaches, oil paintings and ceramics. Born in Rotterdam (1954), he was educated at the Artibus Academy for the Visual Arts in Utrecht (1974-1979). Since the very beginning, his works developed into many directions. The underlying philosophy of his art is the realisation that all is one, and everything is coherent. However, throughout the years this notion developed into many different themes. A small selection of the symbolic meaning in Ad Arma’s work over the past years: The thin line between Dream and Reality; Transitoriness; Space and Insignificance; and lately also Oblivion. But Ad believes the vision of the spectator to be more important: ‘The surplus value, the spirit of the piece, is the addition the spectator will project onto the piece.’

In his studio in the Dutch countryside Ad prefers to work on his new creations in the dead of night. This is where he allows everything to happen. In solitude, surrounded only by his imagination and some Jazz music in the background, his ideas come to life. ‘Art is not about omitting, but about allowing (then you can always allow omisions…)’

Throughout the years Ad Arma’s art has been displayed in a great many exhibitions and he participated in many projects. He is regularly to be found in India or Japan, teaching young artists or gathering new ideas. During his first journeys there, he lost his heart to Asia. Ever since, it takes up an important part in his work.

Now it’s time for the art to speak for itself. In Ad’s own words: ‘I feel it starts to be truly interesting where words end and the image begins. Art communicates without words.’