Andrew Hem’s paintings continue to be realistic. The hem, in his instantly recognizable style, blends metaphorical painting with atmospheric landscapes, echoing graffiti art and a deep understanding of the harmony of color. Rendering urban and rural scenes, modern but outside time, he creates works of realism and surrealism, personal truths and collective dreams.
Not surprisingly, Hem’s unique style stems from a trait background. His creativity hatched on the streets of Los Angeles, refined at the Artcenter School of Design in Pasadena, and developed through a career in travel and flight. Hem grew up near Culver City in Los Angeles, surrounded by graffiti tags and gang lettering. When he entered high school, he became interested in this exercise and would go out to mark buildings at night. After this hobby brought him briefly to jail, the hem was forever frightened the practice. Instead, it turned to painting as a profession. Over the years, he has worked with brands such as Adidas and Sony Pictures to travel the world to showcase his work. Hem even received an invitation from the White House, one of only ten artists at the American art celebration.
Like his unconventional background, the artistic process of the hem does not follow any routine. “Each piece is different, so it’s hard to find a way to stick with it and continue over and over again,” he explained. Depending on the project, the hem may start with a sketch study, digital rendering or vision clear, and will go straight to the canvas. “I still get excited over the years when I get into the studio, which is probably why I still get excited,” he said.
His latest collection was exhibited in December at the Dorothy Circus Gallery in London, titled “Sanctuary”, which includes 15 new works of art created by Hem during the pandemic. The title plays on many themes; it is his own past and a tribute to art as a refuge, especially in times of conflict. Hem’s parents fled Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge genocide and were taken to the United States when he was only six months old. He was born in a refugee camp, a family in Richmond, Virginia sponsored the hem and his parents came to the United States.
“Since then, my mom and dad have sponsored some other families and brought them to the United States,” Hem explained. “It’s amazing the life they were able to create because of the opportunity. I know it made my parents happy to be able to complete a complete circle. It’s part of what I want to create with this new job.”
This idea of interconnectedness is evident in this new collection of paintings. Each work conveys a personal narrative, their strong location and time are the fundamental forces, but they are also interconnected. There are frequent details, shared experiences and repeated images. In “Upturned”, a hoodie character stands against the background of fishing boats and mountains. In another painting, Straight Fire, another hoodie character is away from the scene of chaos, fire engines and dropped power lines, leaning against the smoke-filled sky. Through Hem’s brush, the hoodie becomes a symbol, a theme that appears in urban and rural settings, and regardless of our background, emphasizes the common thread of the basic familiarity we share as humans.
Each work is different…so it’s hard to find a way to stick and continue over and over again.“
