Adam Longatti
Lives and works in Fresno, CA.
“Beyond the physical process of making these paintings is an awareness of the geographical place from which I am working. With over 300 days of a growing season and fed by drastically diverted waterways, the land is dominated by the industry of agriculture. Yet nature is opportunistic and endures regardless of human efforts to create a more efficient and profitable agricultural system. It’s these areas, the transition areas between nature and industry that sparks my interest. There is a narrative speaking here in the landscape, it is not random or arbitrary but direct and intentional.”
Adam Longatti’s paintings reflect the deep connection to place that only a local can have. He has spent innumerable hours looking at and painting the landscape of the San Joaquin Valley, a region that does not always fit the traditional or spectacular ideas of beauty often associated with California. Depicted in his work here is Table Mountain, a beloved local landmark. Looking deeply at this landscape rewards the viewer with subtle and beautiful vistas of light and shadow, green hills turning gold through the seasons, and wide open skies. Longatti is also interested in the environmental and social conditions present in the landscape, including invisible qualities like air quality or heat. He says that in painting these almost imperceptible changes, his work is “striving to make visible the seemingly intangible.” To learn more about Adam Longatti’s work or to enquire about purchasing any of the works on view, please visit adamlongatti.com
Adam Longatti has lived most of his life in the Central Valley of CA. He holds a BFA from the University of New Mexico (1998); an MA in Studio Arts from CSU-Fresno (2002); and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Sierra Nevada University (2020). Longatti has shown his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including at the Fresno Art Museum, Fresno City Hall, A Sense of Place Gallery, 1821 Gallery, Arts Visalia, and Lisa Dent Gallery (San Francisco). He has also completed many commissioned public art projects, including murals at the Fresno County Courthouse and CSU-Fresno; and sculptures at the Dry Creek Trail and Heritage Park (Clovis). An educator, he is an instructor of Art and Design at CSU-Fresno and University High School, Fresno, CA.
This exhibition is presented by the Fresno Yosemite International Airport Arts & Culture program, which aims to welcome travelers to the Central Valley and showcase original works by artists who call this vibrant and diverse region home.
