Photos: 300 PAINTINGS At Vineyard Theatre

Direct from a sold-out engagement at Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it won the Lustrum Award for Outstanding Show, 300 Paintings, created and performed by Sydney-based comedian and visual artist Sam Kissajukian, opens tonight at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street). See photos from the production.

In 2021, over five intense and unpredictable months, Sydney comedian Sam Kissajukian created 300 large-scale paintings, unknowingly documenting his mental states through an extended manic bipolar episode. In this hilarious, fascinating, and wildly original show, he examines that time and explores the ties between art, mental health, and creativity.

A sold-out hit at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and winner of eight Fringe Festival Awards in Australia, including the Sydney Fringe Festival Award for Best Comedy and Directors Choice Award, 300 Paintings has garnered five-star reviews across Australia and the UK, including acclaim from The New York Times during its Edinburgh Fringe run.

A curated exhibition of Sam’s acclaimed artwork will be on display in Vineyard Theatre’s lobby spaces, which audiences are invited to tour before and after the show.

Sam Kissajukian (Performer/Artist) is a comedian and visual artist based in Sydney, Australia. Over the past decade, he has toured globally across the USA, UK, Europe, and Australia. In 2021, during a five-month bipolar manic episode, Kissajukian created 300 large paintings, documenting his mental state daily. His work explores the intersection of art, mental health, and recovery, and since 2022, he has held six solo exhibitions at prestigious institutions including Maitland Regional Art Gallery and Brisbane Powerhouse. 300 Paintings is the culmination of Kissajukian’s personal and artistic journey and has won numerous awards, including Best Comedy at Sydney Fringe 2022 and 2023, and the Mental Health Awareness Award at Adelaide Fringe 2024.

This production will play through December 15, 2024. For ticketing information please visit https://vineyardtheatre.org or call the box office at 212-353-0303.

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg