Aug, 18, 2020
ArtistsCommunityPhxArtist Spotlight
Mia B. Adams: In Her Own Words
A proud Phoenix native, Mia B. Adams creates art that responds to ongoing social and political issues. Her work—in various forms—challenges viewers to consider and question the world around them and their roles within it, often confronting uncomfortable and overlooked realities that many find easier to avoid rather than acknowledge, reject rather than reckon with.
Adams, who earned a BFA from Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, has exhibited throughout the Phoenix Metro Area, including most recently as part of the outside, alternative gallery experience “Roadside Attraction,” which ran through July 26. She has also shown work in galleries in Washington DC, Chicago, and Nashville and will make her international debut this fall at the 2020 Ibrida Festival of Intermedia Arts in Forlì, Italy, before exhibiting a video piece at the 2020 Arizona Biennial.
Learn more about Mia B. Adams, her creative process, and the symbolism inherent in her work in her own words.
“Around my junior year of college, I started to use art as a way to reflect on my existence as a Black and Latinx woman and the various issues BIPOC continue to face in the United States. By delving into topics of race, discrimination, and social hierarchies, I actively explore and challenge the interconnections between art and social justice through my studio practice.”
Mia B. Adams. Courtesy of the artist.
PhxArt: What was your first inspiration, and when did you know you wanted to be an artist?
Mia B. Adams: I’ve been creating ever since I could hold a pencil. I went from drawing on walls as a toddler to drawing people and animals, to painting, and from there continued to learn more and more as I got older. Making art was something that felt so free, genuine, and natural to me that I just knew I never wanted to stop.
As a kid, my dad used to always draw pictures for me, and I eventually picked up a pencil for myself. My dad was the first person to ever expose me to art and was ultimately my first inspiration. My parents always encouraged me to do what makes me happy and follow my passion, so their support definitely had a huge impact on me wanting to become an artist. When it came time to think about college, studying art was the only thing that made sense for me.
Mia B. Adams, Please Don’t Drink, 2018. Porcelain sink, faucet, ink. Courtesy of the artist.
PhxArt: As someone who grew up here, what has it been like to become a part of the Phoenix art community, and how have you seen that community change through the years?
Adams: Attending the School of Art at ASU and being a part of the local art community in Phoenix has motivated me and brought me so much inspiration as a creative. During my undergraduate work, I was able to connect with fellow artists, I learned new media, and I was introduced to all of the amazing ways art can be used. Through the years, I have found my voice through art and will continue to use my work to expose the voices of those who have been silenced by society.
In the Phoenix art community, one of the things that has stood out to me through the years is seeing more work by BlPOC [Black, Indigenous, and people of color] truly being embraced. As I got more involved, I was happy to see how beautifully diverse this community is. That diversity brought me a lot of comfort knowing that there were people who I could relate to. As a woman and a Black and Latinx artist, representation is really important to me. Historically, non-white, non-male artists were often disregarded and not afforded the same opportunities as their white male counterparts within institutional art spaces. Today, many major art institutions in the United States still have collections where white male artists make up a large majority. I value every action that is taking place to help change this on a global scale and am excited to see further growth and progress so that we can continue to enable more diversity and inclusion within the art world.
Mia B. Adams, Fallen Pins of America I, 2018. Yarn, pins, United States map, cork board. Photo by Miler-Anne Latinovich.
PhxArt: What topics do you address and explore through your art?
Adams: While studying Intermedia in college, I was exposed to political art and learned about various artists who made work reflecting on the world around them and their own experiences. I began to realize how personal, deep, and reflective art can be as a form of expression.
Simultaneously, during my time at ASU, the Black Lives Matter movement was continuously growing following the loss of Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Alton Sterling, Stephon Clark, and many others. I was so furious and frustrated that we were losing so many lives, and many chose to simply turn a blind eye and fail to see police brutality as an issue in our country, among many others. We are still fighting the same fight and have been demanding freedom and equality for hundreds of years. We need justice and we need change. I wanted to support the movement and play a part in bringing awareness to various crucial topics.
Around my junior year of college, I started to use art as a way to reflect on my existence as a Black and Latinx woman and the various issues BIPOC continue to face in the United States. By delving into topics of race, discrimination, and social hierarchies, I actively explore and challenge the interconnections between art and social justice through my studio practice.
Mia B. Adams, Left Red Handed, 2018. Plaster, paint, lacquer. Courtesy of the artist.
PhxArt: In which media do you prefer to work?
Adams: I am constantly exploring different media but I primarily work with video, sculpture, and installation. When creating work, the media I work with are completely determined by my concept. With each piece, all materials and visual elements hold their own symbolism and importance.
PhxArt: What was the symbolism of cake in your video piece Freedom has Never Tasted so Good? What inspired that work, and how is it different from others you’ve created?
Adams: Freedom has Never Tasted so Good is a satirical representation of the dark history of the United States. I was inspired to make this piece from my own personal experience with America’s education system. America preaches patriotism, yet many overlook how many people were tortured, how many lives were lost, and how much blood was shed on this land. America was built on stolen land. But they didn’t write that in my history books growing up.
In Freedom has Never Tasted so Good, I use cake and spoken word to reflect on the United States’ long history of Indigenous massacres, slavery, and issues within the immigration system. The vivid red cake is used to represent the ongoing terror that, in the end, always gets sugar-coated. Even after the damage is done, subtle remnants of that history still remain present in contemporary society.
This piece is different from my other work because of its satirical and somber nature. Through it, I am speaking on very serious issues while simultaneously challenging the typical preconceived ideas and associations people have with cake, a dessert that is connected to celebration and joy. I wanted to play around with this and have the cake act as a symbol of both patriotism and corruption.
Mia B. Adams, Freedom has Never Tasted so Good, 2019. Video. Courtesy of the artist.
PhxArt: Who are your greatest artistic influences?
Adams: I am inspired by many artists, including Faith Ringgold, Emory Douglas, Sonya Clark, Dread Scott, and Dorothy Straughter. All of these artists have made political work and individually work across an array of media. Personally, Faith Ringgold and Emory Douglas really stick out to me as inspirations because they were making art in the 1960s and 1970s, a significant time in history for the Black community. Much of their work is a reflection of the struggles Black people face and acts as a visual timestamp of what was happening in our country. Sadly, the work they made back then is still relevant and reflective of today’s issues. To me, this goes to show how much work still needs to be done for us to reach true equality.
PhxArt: What is something you’re currently working on or have recently exhibited?
Adams: My most recent piece is Fallen Pins of America II, a large-scale rendition of a work that I originally made back in 2018. The piece utilizes data visualization to highlight the issue of police brutality in the United States. Red pins mark specific cities where unarmed BIPOC have been killed by police from 2015 through 2020. Right below each pin, a piece of red yarn hangs down. Together, the red materials represent wounds on the map and symbolize all of the lives that have tragically been lost due to police brutality.
Mia B. Adams, Fallen Pins of America II, 2020. Yarn, pins, fabric, paint. Courtesy of the artist.
PhxArt: What can we hope to see next from you?
Adams: I have a few ideas brewing for future pieces that are on a much larger scale. Fallen Pins of America II is the largest work I have made so far and is a good representation of the size of work I wish to continue making moving forward. I also have a few exciting shows coming up and will be making my international debut at the Ibrida Festival of Intermedia Arts in Forlì, Italy, this September. Following that, in October I will be exhibiting a video piece in the 2020 Arizona Biennial in Tucson.
PhxArt: What advice or words of support would you like to share with our audiences and fellow artists at this time?
Adams: Continue to support, protect, and care for one another. Establish empathy. Continue to speak up. Our voices will be heard, and we cannot be silenced. Our communities are strong and full of so many powerful voices. Together we will truly change the world.
Mia B. Adams, STEREOTYPES KILL Project: Hat #10, 2018-present. Repurposed hats, spray paint. Courtesy of the artist.
See more
To discover more work by Mia B. Adams, visit miabadams.com, follow her on Instagram @miabadams, and stop by the 2020 Arizona Biennial at Tucson Museum of Art starting in October to view Freedom has Never Tasted so Good (2019) in person.
#CreativeQuarantine
We’re curious how creatives are navigating the time of coronavirus. Mia B. Adams shares what’s giving her life as a creative during quarantine.
Adams: In May, I actually opened up my own handmade jewelry shop, Hello Mia! Earlier in the year, I started playing around with polymer clay for fun and fell in love with it instantly. I am a huge earring lover and am having a blast experimenting with new techniques and designs. I first started selling my earrings through my shop on Instagram, @hello.mia.shop, and launched my site hellomiashop.com soon after. This is a newfound passion for me, and I am super appreciative of all of the love and support I have received from the launch of my shop so far.