AMADOUR’s artistry resides at the rare intersection of auditory and visual spectacle. Their multimedia practice is a symphony of sensory experiences, combining the evocative power of musical performance with the grand vistas of landscape and abstract painting. Within the walls of their studio, one finds a world that harmoniously marries the immersive visuals of majestic seascapes with the acoustic richness of an expressive tenor vocal range.

It is in this eclectic space that Amadour stages their intricately layered jewel box-like paintings, serving as dynamic backdrops to their enthralling musical performances. With a brush in one hand and a melody in the other, Amadour's work is a dramatic exploration of the interplay between the static and the kinetic, the silent image and the sung note. Amadour takes influence from visual artists Donald Judd, Ettore Spalletti, Wassily Kandinsky, Julie Mehretu, and Hiroshi Sugimoto.

Their canvases are arenas where the theatrics of a piano ballad, the pulse of a nightclub, and the grandeur of opera find their visual counterpart. Amadour invites the audience to traverse the painted surface into an intimate world where a handwritten song in a notebook becomes a study of the art of spectacle.

Amadour is a queer Latinx nonbinary artist from Reno, Nevada, with Mexican and Colombian roots, whose interdisciplinary practice spans geometric abstraction, writing, and orchestral ballads. Their work reevaluates diasporic memory, often centering queer, Black, and Hollywood histories—treating interdisciplinarity as a lyrical and sonic space for the disremembered.

Amadour exhibits as an artist with Kotaro Nukaga (Tokyo, Japan), Galería La Cometa (Miami, FL; Bogotá, Colombia), FF Projects (San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico), and Emma Scully Gallery (New York, USA), and has curated exhibitions with Gallery Common (Tokyo, Japan), and The Krause Collection (Des Moines, USA). Their art has been featured in Artillery Magazine, ARTnews Japan, Exibart, Cultbytes, amongst others.

Amadour released their debut EP, Western Movie Dream, in early 2023 to acclaim from music and art critics. Their upcoming second EP, The Myth of Amadour: Odyssey of a High Desert Balladeer, offers a stripped-down prelude to their orchestral debut album, I Was Born in the Silver, and I Died There Too. Together, these projects explore themes of memory, longing, and myth through cinematic ballads and dreamlike pop. Amadour has performed at legacy venues including The Hotel Café and The Viper Room, with current projects including The Mapes Suite, a visual and musical performance debuting at Truckee Meadows Community College in 2026.

Additional highlights include composing essays for the Holt/ Smithson Foundation, the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation; lecturing with the United Nations Association and the University of Nevada, Reno; and conducting workshops at the E.L. Cord Museum School at the Nevada Museum of Art, the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Nevada, and Artown. Their writing is featured in frieze, ARTnews, and The Brooklyn Rail, amongst many others; cited in ArtReview Magazine, Monthly Art, and is included in the permanent archive of the Getty Research Institute Library. Amadour co-founded WHO IS SEEN Magazine in 2024 and continues to contribute to several publications. For writing bylines, please click here.

Amadour is also a proud board member of Ms. Dan’s Chinese, a Miami-based non-profit that focuses on language education.

Amadour lives and works between Nevada, Los Angeles, and New York. A native Nevadan, they were born in Sparks and raised in Reno and Sausalito, California. They began their career as a studio assistant to photographer David LaChapelle before earning dual BA degrees in Studio Art and Art History from the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture in 2018, where they studied with artists Barbara Kruger, Lari Pittman, and Mary Kelly.

INSTAGRAM FEED

Two Hands Holding Me — live at The Hotel Café @thehotelcafe 🩵🎤 “Bronze face with your nose on my cheek…” One of the first songs I ever released — tender, cinematic, and filled with memory. From my debut project ‘Western Movie Dream’, it’s a love song about longing, intimacy, and the poetry of everyday moments. Full live performance video is now up. ✨ And this month, I’m performing for the first time at The Viper Room @theviperroom in West Hollywood! Friday June 27 🎟 Doors at 6 PM | I go on at 8:30 PM 🎫 $15 online / $20 at the door — link in bio to buy tickets or www.amadour.com/events Come for the music, stay for the magic. Let’s make it a night to remember. #amadour #WesternMovieDream #TwoHandsHoldingMe #TheViperRoom #HotelCafe
I’m playing The Viper Room @theviperroom on Friday, June 27 at 8:30 PM — a stripped-down, intimate night of ballads, glamour, and cinematic dreams. I’ll be sharing upcoming songs from my upcoming debut album “I Was Born in the Silver and I Died There Too”. Come out for a romantic, sexy, artsy, and casual time — the kind of night where every note feels like a secret and every lyric glows like neon. Tickets are $15 online / $20 at the door. Ticket link in bio or at amadour.com/events Special thanks to Troy and SURGE Events @surgehollywood for including me. This all came together after a Sony Music @sonymusic gathering in Topanga — thank you Oliver @olliverwilsonn and Tyler @tybarth for the connection. Let’s celebrate the last days of Pride together! See you there. —Amadour #theviperroom #surgehollywood #amadour
Grateful for this moment. I never expected that a conversation I had two years ago in @brooklynrail with Gabrielle Goliath @gabriellegoliath would echo into @artreview_magazine —but here it is, my first official citation! Thank you to Gabrielle for the depth of your work, and to Stephanie Bailey for recognizing and including my words in this important piece. The work continues, and I’m so thankful for every chance to be part of the dialogue. #amadour #artreview #gabriellegoliath #stephaniebailey
I believe in the power of crossing disciplines—art, music, architecture, storytelling—to give voice to what refuses to be confined. There are a few upcoming Easter eggs in this article too! Endlessly grateful to The Corsair for this generous feature. Thank you to Katie Easterson for your thoughtful writing, Mary Funsten & Ana Sanchez Venegas for the soulful portraits, and @davidquadrini for your kind words. To be seen by @smcedu , the place that helped shape my beginning, is a gift I carry with pride. Read the full piece on @corsairnews or through the slides.
Thank you to SMC in Focus for this thoughtful piece. Sometimes I forget to look back—I’m always thinking about the next brushstroke, the next lyric, the next moment of becoming. I still feel like it’s day one as an artist, so seeing my story reflected like this is humbling. From Sparks to Sausalito to Santa Monica… I carry every place with me. #santamonicacollege #amadour #proudtobesmc
‘O great creator of being, grant us one more hour to perform our art and perfect our lives.’ —Jim Morrison I carry this line with deep gratitude, for another day, another turning, another chance to create—to move through the world with curiosity and the desire to learn. Thank you for your messages. I’m here—and it’s the sweetest feeling to know you exist. 🎂
Thank you to @nevadasagebrush and Emily Hess @emilyghess for this incredible feature. This article truly goes deep into my story, my history, and my work, and I feel beyond grateful to be recognized in my hometown. It hasn’t been an easy journey—building something from the ground up never is—but to be seen in this way, in the place that shaped me, is something I don’t take for granted. The interactions I’ve had with my community continue to shape the way history is preserved. As a musician, visual artist, and writer, I see my practice as an archive—not just of my own history, but of the histories that are often overlooked, unacknowledged, or never given the time of day. That’s where I feel my voice is the strongest. That’s where I find my purpose. Swipe to read or link in bio 💙🤍 #nevadasagebrush #amadour
My First TV Interview! Somewhere between Reno and Hollywood, between memory and music, that’s where you’ll find me. ❤️ I sat down with KOLO 8 News @kolo8newsnow to talk about my upcoming artist talk at UNR @unrliberalarts and my new project, The Mapes Suite—a love letter to lost places and forgotten stories. Thank you @kateyroshetkotv @kolo8morningbreak for an amazing conversation! Watch the full interview now. 🎥✨ #KOLO8 #Amadour
I’ll be giving a Visiting Artist Lecture at the University of Nevada, Reno on March 5. I grew up in Reno, but my work has taken me across cities, landscapes, and histories—always chasing light, memory, and the pull of place. Now, I get to bring those ideas home: to the skies that first shaped my sense of color, to the open roads that made me dream beyond them. Big thanks to Miya Hannan, Director of the MFA program, for the invitation. I’m also honored to be this year’s guest juror for the MFA scholarships—excited to meet the artists shaping Reno’s next chapter. I truly appreciate the local support and the chance to engage with this community in a new way. 📍 Wells Fargo Auditorium (MIKC 124) 🗓 Wednesday, March 5, 2025 ⏰ 5 PM | Free & open to the public See you there, Reno. @unrarts @miyauhannan @artmfaunr @unevadareno This photo was taken in Virginia City by my cousin Viviana, who has been an unshakable force of support in my life. #amadour #UniversityOfNevadaReno
Grateful to be featured in the Sierra Sun—a truly meaningful moment as someone proud to have grown up in the Reno-Tahoe area. This community shaped so much of my journey, and I’m humbled to share my story with you. A big thanks to Zoe Meyer for capturing it so beautifully. If you’re in North Lake Tahoe/Truckee, grab a copy or find it online! 🌲✨ @sierrasunnews
🌅✨ I am fascinated by refracting light and finding ways to capture that phenomenon on a two-dimensional surface, this work is the result of hours in the studio color matching the time of day with the shifting hues of the sky. The sides subtly shift the view, bending perception and drawing the eye into layers of light and shadow. 50ish light layers of medium, acrylic, graphite, gold leaf, and a hint of California. Lately, I’ve been immersed in the Symbolist movement, reading my first book in French—Odilon Redon’s writings, which I picked up at Le Bon Marché in Paris. Olga de Amaral’s recent show at the Cartier Foundation also left a profound impact, her work with light and texture blew my mind. I’m excited to get back into the studio… 😝 Golden State Baby, 2024 Acrylic, gold leaf, and graphite on linen 8 × 10 in | 20.3 × 25.4 cm
Walking through the endless arches of Versailles, where history lingers and shadows stretch forever. There’s something hauntingly beautiful about how the light slips through the cracks—surprising how minimal it feels amidst all the grandeur. I can’t help but wonder what was going through Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart’s minds when they designed this. It’s the stillness here that always pulls me in—the simplicity behind the excess, just like the first time I visited eight years ago with @labelleduseigneur. We were so young then! Captured by Mom, because she always sees me in my own light. 😇
While working on “Pacific Coast Highway”, I found myself deeply immersed in the subtleties of architecture, shape, form, and line. The interplay of light and the landscape along the coast inspired me to capture the horizon between ocean and sky in a way that feels both fluid and grounded. I spent a lot of time studying Mary Corse’s surfaces and Ettore Spalletti’s processes, particularly their treatment of light and texture, which deeply influenced this piece. Additionally, I was thinking about Gego’s intricate use of lines in her sculptures and Ruth Asawa’s exploration of form, both of which added layers of complexity to the way I approached space and structure in the painting. This fusion of influences helped shape the composition, making it feel like a full 360 of ideas coming together. Recently, I visited Beaune, France, for the amazing Terra exhibition and found myself at a magnificent church with arches that brought me back to my days studying art history in Paris with UCLA. The experience of standing in that architectural space reminded me of the beauty and power of form and light, themes that resonate deeply in my work. My time in Paris shaped how I view the dialogue between art and architecture, and it continues to inspire how I approach each new piece and embodies this ongoing exploration of the delicate balance between structure and fluidity. 🩵🩵
Today, I find myself particularly inspired by the frescoes of the Palazzo Ducale and the elegant window and door shapes of Venice, which reflect a timeless dialogue between art and architecture. “Hollywood Studio View”, 2024, draws from similar themes of structure and form, utilizing acrylic, gold leaf, and graphite on linen to evoke the interplay between the natural and built environments. The shimmering 24 karat gold along the lower edge hints at the richness of the cityscape, subtly nodding to the traditions of geometric abstraction and architectural aesthetics. 👑 some pics with mom at the end :) #GeometricAbstraction #ContemporaryPainting #Architectureart #Venetian #GoldLeafArt #amadour
Exploring ancient wonders with my modern-day goddess—Mom in Athens! ☺️
Check out the show at booth 413! I’m so happy to be part of the Armory Show 2024, where @kotaro_nukaga is presenting my paintings alongside works by an incredible group of artists: Keita Morimoto, Tomona Matsukawa, Nanami Inoue, Kazuhito Kawai, Tomokazu Matsuyama, Nir Hod, Stephanie Hier, and Esmaa Mohamoud. Stop by the Javits Center—hope to see you there! #TheArmoryShow #KOTARONUKAGA #Amadour #KeitaMorimoto #TomonaMatsukawa #NanamiInoue #KazuhitoKawai #TomokazuMatsuyama #NirHod #StephanieHier #EsmaaMohamoud #NYCArt
I’m thrilled to announce that my painting “Hollywood View II” will be part of the Armory Show in NYC with Kotaro Nukaga gallery, marking my first art fair—a personal milestone I’m truly grateful for. While creating this piece, I was inspired by Eleonore Koch’s nuanced use of architecture and the geometric precision in Eduardo Ramírez Villamizar’s sculptures. This work explores the dynamic interplay of light, sound, and shape, drawing from these influences to reflect the fluidity and depth of the ocean through a series of arches. The addition of gold leaf at the base serves as a grounding element, while the various mediums I used continue my exploration of shadow and refracting light. I’m excited to share this journey with you—hope to see you at the booth and fair! Hollywood View II, 2024 Acrylic, Graphite, and 24K Gold Leaf on Linen 20 × 16 in | 50.8 × 40.6 cm @kotaro_nukaga #ArmoryShow2024 #KotaroNukaga #NYCArt #amadour #eleonorekoch #eduardoramirezvillamizar #thearmoryshow
Exciting news! 🎉 My work is now available in bookstores across Japan and featured in Brutus Magazine’s spotlight on small paintings. Plus, our show at Kotaro Nukaga gallery is one of ARTnews Japan’s top 5 must-see exhibitions in Tokyo! 🗼✨ A big thank you to Kotaro and the amazing gallery staff Brian, Miku, Kana, Xinxin, Tina, and Yuko for making this possible! #ArtNews #TokyoArt #BrutusMagazine
Opening tonight Tokyo! @kotaro_nukaga Hi friends! I’m beyond thankful and thrilled to share that I’m part of the group exhibition “Materiality and Language: Explorations in Form and Meaning” at KOTARO NUKAGA, Roppongi, featuring Stefan Brüggemann, Jose Dávila, Michael Rikio Ming Hee Ho, and Rirkrit Tiravanija, curated by the amazing Esthella Provas. This is my first time showing work in a gallery in Tokyo, and it’s so exciting to see the local response so far. The show runs from June 8 (Sat) to July 31 (Wed). Please join us this evening (Sat) from 4 to 6 PM for the opening celebration. Huge thanks to Esthella, Kotaro, Brian, and all the artists, and thank you for all the love from friends abroad. Hope to see you there! @stefanbruggemann1975 @josedavila @michaelho_official @tiravanija_team_cm #kotaronukaga #stefanbruggemann #josedavila #michaelrikiomingheeho #rirkrittiravanija #amadour #esthellaprovas #tokyoart
Visiting Sugimoto’s Odawara Art Foundation Best day before the show opens tomorrow in Tokyo! #odawaraartfoundation #hiroshisugimoto #enouraobservatory

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