Passion is a formidable impetus that compels people to pursue particular activities for fulfillment and a sense of meaning beyond their professional objectives or achievements. It is a force that motivates people to undertake the formidable endeavor of career transition, which frequently results in significant personal and professional transformation. Prosperous career transitions are distinguished by a dedication to individual development and the skills to confront unique obstacles. Successful transitions provide empirical support for pursuing one’s passion, which can result in a more gratifying and purposeful existence. Stan Adard is one such individual who transitioned from an IT professional to a digital artist due to his passion for creating digital art to inspire others.
Stan Adard is a digital artist who transitioned from a progressive rock artist to an IT professional and then to a digital artist advocating mindfulness and conscious breathing through his art. Adard, born Ralph Marcel Stucki in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1954, completed a diverse journey from his early days in the progressive rock circuit with Nautilus to the forefront of digital art domains with “The Breathing Pictures.”
Adard started his creative journey by founding Nautilus, a Swiss progressive rock band known for its harmonies and stimulating songwriting. “20’000 Miles Under the Sea” and “Space Storm,” the band’s albums, showed Adard’s musical skill and alluded to his desire to investigate human consciousness through creative mediums. The period played a pivotal role in molding Adard’s creative perspective, facilitating the fusion of his artistic and technical proclivities.
Adard then transitioned into the IT field and established Rotron Electronics AG and, subsequently, Rotron Software AG in 1978 and 1988, concurrently with his musical endeavors. His development of enterprise resource planning systems, such as europa3000 and GreenCube, was innovative, forward-thinking, and human-centered, much like his approach to music and art. Adard initiated integrating his technological skills with his artistic vision during this period, laying the foundation for his subsequent endeavors in digital art.
Adard received a Lic. Phil. (master) degree in social pedagogy, social psychology, and sociology from the University of Zurich influenced his perspective, artistic endeavors, and mindfulness-based methodologies. Education provided the foundation for his investigation into conscious breathing and its influence on the human condition. Beyond being a visual experience, Adard’s artwork invites audiences to contemplate the fundamental act of breathing, motivating them to investigate the practical application of mindfulness in their everyday lives.
Combining the intricacies of human behavior and psychology with the technical precision of digital art, the thematic components of his digital artwork portray the influences of mindfulness and conscious breathing. Adard’s approach to digital art is unique due to a fusion of humanism, science, and art; as a result, “The Breathing Pictures” represents an innovative concept in art.
Central to Stan Adard’s artistic pursuit is a collection of digital works titled “The Breathing Pictures,” which encapsulate the cyclical pattern and fluidity of human respiration. These artworks are dynamic entities encouraging observers to enter a world of mindfulness and self-reflection. By incorporating elements from his Buddhist meditation practice, Adard imbues every piece of art with an aura of serenity and presence, transforming viewing into a mindful breathing exercise.
“The Breathing Pictures” represents Adard’s belief that art can effectuate personal and societal change apart from offering aesthetic pleasure. By incorporating psychological, spiritual, and humanistic principles, Adard’s digital artwork compels viewers to confront and control their anxieties and fears using the uncomplicated yet essential action of conscious breathing. “The Breathing Pictures” provides a sanctuary in an era where rapid digital consumption is progressively prevalent; it prompts viewers to find solace and reestablish a connection with the fundamental cycles of life.
Stan Adard’s journey of evolution from musician to digital artist and mindfulness advocate represents the far-reaching changes that have occurred in the digital age. His interdisciplinary contributions explore the convergence of technology, art, and mindfulness, providing valuable perspectives on the potential of digital art to facilitate introspection and connections with the world. Adard’s “The Breathing Pictures” and his support for conscious breathing are a means to question the established norms of digital art and prompt a reevaluation of the function of mindfulness in modern society.
Stan Adard later forayed into the domain of filmmaking, where he persistently investigated and promoted the concept of mindfulness through this dynamic medium. The filmmaker’s works, such as “Time(s) to Breathe” and “Breathing Through,” are an extension of his digital artworks, exploring the capacity of visual storytelling to communicate concepts of mindfulness and the human condition. The films function as artistic manifestations and visual meditations, encouraging viewers to concentrate on conscious breathing and the present moment.
Adard’s films have received acclaim at numerous film festivals, highlighting the universal allure of mindfulness and the imperative for practices that provide stability in a world that is becoming more fragmented. Adard’s cinematic works portray the capacity of art not merely to mirror society but also to mold and enhance it, providing avenues to inner tranquility and positive change.
Adard also cofounded Astradream, an artist collective committed to developing experiences and events that revolve around meditative breathing to disseminate the mindfulness movement. This endeavor signifies a collective effort to highlight the tenets of mindfulness to a more extensive demographic by fusing art, technology, and the pursuit of wellness. Astradream’s work reflects Adard’s conception of art as a communal endeavor that promotes growth, transformation, and connection.
The agency’s work, featuring collaborations with artists, clinicians, and mindfulness practitioners, represents Adard’s conviction that art, science, and spirituality have an inextricable link in their pursuit of well-being. Adard and Astradream are at the forefront of innovative artistic expression and engagement by employing these collaborative initiatives; viewing art becomes an act of involvement in a moment of collective contemplation.
Stan Adard’s journey, which began with establishing the progressive rock group Nautilus and led to the vanguard of digital art and mindfulness advocacy, represents a comprehensive examination of the human condition. Across music, information technology, digital art, and filmmaking, his work portrays a commitment to comprehending and augmenting human welfare through innovation and technology.
“The Breathing Pictures” and the filmmaker’s subsequent films are notable turning points in a journey characterized by ingenuity, empathy, and a quest for significance. Adard’s impact transcends art, integrating domains such as well-being, mindfulness, and digital art while simultaneously compelling people to reevaluate their connection to technology, art, and life.
Amidst the intricacies of the modern era, Stan Adard’s artistic philosophy offers a model for effortlessly incorporating mindfulness into everyday lives. Adard’s artwork is a poignant reminder that amid the bustle and rapidity of the digital era, moments of tranquility, mindfulness, and deep connection are possible, grounded in the uncomplicated yet reflective action of conscious breathing. Adard’s artistic oeuvre functions as a guiding light, pointing people toward a more empathetic, spiritually profound, and mindful society where technology enhances rather than detracts from the human spirit.
Published by: Martin De Juan
