Adrian Lowe
"The LoweEnd"
Based in Bloomington, MN, Adrian Lowe is a visual artist and graphic designer specializing in digital illustration. Influenced by 90's and early 2000s pop culture, comic books, anime, and hip-hop, his work is a nostalgic exploration of these cultural crossroads.
(Insert a cliche about how he’s drawn for as long as he can remember.) In his youth, Adrian spent entire class periods drawing; he created mixtapes for friends and crafted custom covers for them. Legend has it that he even used MS Paint to commission custom Myspace pictures for his classmates. Introduced to digital design through TL Graphics, a family-owned business started by his father in '97, Adrian honed his skills during his time at Augsburg University. His academic journey provided opportunities for practical application, creating promotional material for student groups and events.
Drawing from surreal experiences growing up as a Jamaican-American in Minnesota, Adrian's art blends nostalgia with contemporary perspectives. His creations reflect a deep commitment to balancing heritage, tradition, and innovation, drawing practical lessons from his experiences in design.
Music, a fundamental element in his life, is woven into the fabric of most of his artwork, creating a unique multi-sensory experience that even extends to clothing. The Low End Theory album by A Tribe Called Quest inspired his moniker The LoweEnd.
Adrian's artistic journey evolved through collaborations such as "Artists Unite - A Black Lives Matter Art Anthology" and participation in events like "Afrodite's Hideaway" and "The Black of July" at Public Functionary (2018), where he contributed to diverse cultural narratives. He was a member of the Know Peace Murals collective in 2020, painting memorial murals in honor of individuals who were victims of police violence.
Adrian aspires to be a source of inspiration for artists who look like him, encouraging them to break cultural barriers, reshape narratives, and overcome imposter syndrome. In his vision, art is a catalyst for creating spaces where artists can confidently embrace their unique voice and narrative.