one4review | On 04, Aug 2025

Sam Kissajukian’s 300 Paintings is an extraordinary blend of stand-up comedy, live art critique, and deeply personal storytelling. In just five months, Kissajukian, without any formal art training, produced over 300 paintings during what he later recognised as an undiagnosed manic episode. The result is a show that is as raw and honest as it is unpredictable and entertaining.

Using a projected slideshow, Kissajukian takes the audience through a whirlwind of compulsive creativity. His delivery is sharp, self-aware, and consistently funny, effortlessly pulling us into a world where artistic obsession, psychological turmoil, and absurd invention coexist. At times, his reflections are laugh-out-loud funny; at others, unexpectedly moving.

Although, at the start, he tells us that he’s given up stand-up, because he hates it, what follows is, ironically, a highly effective hour of exactly that. With a natural rhythm, impeccable timing, and disarming charm, Kissajukian proves that he’s more than capable of holding a room with just a mic and a projector. There’s a brief section on business plans and meetings with potential investors which feels more reflective than comedic. While it slows the comedic rhythm slightly, it does add another layer to the artist’s state of mind, offering insight rather than derailment. Fortunately, the energy rebounds quickly, and the performance builds to a resonant and emotionally rich finish.

The paintings themselves are vibrant, surreal, and compelling, and Kissajukian’s commentary brings them to life in unexpected ways. Together, they form a chaotic but cohesive visual diary of a mind in overdrive.

300 Paintings defies easy categorisation. It is part exhibition, part stand-up, part psychological evaluation, but that’s what makes it so compelling. It’s a celebration of creativity, chaos, and survival, told with wit, warmth, and an artist’s eye for the unexpected.

I would highly recommend catching this performance, and if you’re looking for more afterwards, Kissajukian has brought a selection of his recent paintings with him, which are on display in on of Summerhall’s gallery spaces, and well worth a look.

****

Reviewed by Howard

Summerhall Main Hall

12.05 t0 13.05

Until 25th August (not 12^th or 19^th)