Adam Cooley

Adam Cooley is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blends myth, ritual, and contemporary life. Drawing from years spent living in Japan and a deep interest in folklore, symbolism, and the psychology of belief, his paintings and sculptures explore how stories—ancient and modern—shape identity, fear, devotion, and power. His work often moves between the playful and the unsettling, using monsters, icons, and human figures as mirrors for emotional and cultural states.

Cooley’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is held in private and institutional collections, including recent large-scale public displays. Known for mixing traditional techniques with experimental materials and processes, he treats making as both craft and inquiry—each piece a negotiation between control and chance, where image, material, and story converge.