BIO HEXBYADR

Adrian Zavala is a Mexican artist, painter, illustrator and art director based in Chicago, whose current project is HEX by ADR. The collection of paintings and drawings is the result of the need to create from scratch, to experiment and to evolve. HEXbyADR is inspired by mythology, a fascination for symbols and what they represent for all of us as a society.

A painter with more than 30 years of experience, Adrian has been featured in several exhibits in museums in Mexico and independent galleries. He began his artistic activities under the tutelage of master painter Carlos Navarro, and has been painting ever since.

Throughout his career, Adrian has won various accolades for his work. He won the Chicago Latino Film Festival poster design two years in a row. He also won first place in the Tenth International Biennial Poster Contest in Mexico.

Adrian has a bachelor’s degree in Digital and Art Design from the University of New Mexico. He also studied part of his degree in Mexico at UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México). 
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www.hexbyadr.com

When did your interest in art begin vs. when you began thinking of it as a career/life choice?

I had a strong passion for art from a young age and it has played a significant role in my life and career. I was just a toddler when I started doodling everywhere, including my father’s documents--I’m sure I ruined some important ones. My mom noticed early on and took me to art classes when I was about seven years old. I started painting at 10 with an oil painting set my mom gifted me.

Art has always been my main focus, even my professional career has been parallel to my art journey. I studied architecture and graphic design and that led me to do advertising. Art has been my source of creativity and visual expression I’ve applied to advertising.

At some point in my adolescence, I realized painting was going to be a life project. I have always had the need to paint and it has also become part of my metal health care since the pandemic. Painting through it became a therapy itself, it served me in different ways I didn’t experience before.

What draws you to your particular subject matter?

Finding a voice might have been the most arduous process I have put myself through. It’s an exercise of patient, resilience, and courage. It took a long time and experimentation to find my true voice as an artist. I've learned that finding your artistic voice is a journey and not a destination, and that it's okay to try new things and experiment in order to find what truly resonates with you as an artist.

I’ve always loved symbols and what they mean for humans. The Hexagon is one of them: covered by the mystery of science, the sacred world of religion, and it is present in nature as an efficient building element--it is a balanced, yet active shape, it has the dynamics of the circle. For me, Hexagon symbolizes six elements that contain our personal universe: body, soul, emotion, higher consciousness, instinct, and will, sides that oppose and complement each other in an unbreakable symbiosis.

What interest of yours (outside of art) ends up influencing your practice the most?

Philosophy and photography have had a big influence on my art. I studied philosophy, which gave me a deeper understanding of the world and how to express it through my art. Specifically, the hexagon shape has a lot of meaning to me, as it symbolizes the six elements that make up consciousness: body, soul, emotion, higher consciousness, instinct, and will. I found this shape as a perfect representation of the complexity of a human being.

Photography, specifically portraits, have always been a source of inspiration for me. Capturing the beauty and humanity in a person's face is something that has always fascinated me.

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What is one piece of advice you wish you could give your younger self?

One piece of advice I would give to my younger self would be to learn how to effectively communicate and sell my story, my ideas, and my art. Building a narrative that is true to yourself and then experimenting, testing, and refining it is crucial in order to make a connection with others and to be able to share your art with a wider audience.

It's important to enjoy the process of creating, but also to be able to articulate the meaning behind your work and the story you want to tell. And of course, hard work is a must, but it's important to remember to enjoy it.

What would you say is your biggest goal for this year?

My goal for this year is to push the boundaries of my art by experimenting with new techniques and styles while staying true to my core concept of the Hexagon as a symbol of the six elements that make up our personal universe. Overall, I aim to continue to evolve and grow as an artist, while enjoying the process of creating.