Adam Pendleton, born in 1984 in Richmond, US, currently resides and works in New York, US. He is recognized as a conceptual artist renowned for his multi-disciplinary practice, encompassing painting, publishing, collage, video, and performance. Pendleton's work delves into language, both figuratively and literally, as well as the re-contextualization of history. He aims to forge "a future dynamic where new historical narratives and meanings can exist."

Pendleton's body of art has received widespread international acclaim and has been exhibited at esteemed institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art and the New Museum in New York, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Whitechapel Gallery in London, The Kitchen in New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver.

In 2007, Pendleton gained significant recognition in the art world when, at the age of 23, he delivered a powerful sermon accompanied by a gospel choir at the Performa Biennial. A few years later, he made a significant career move by joining the prestigious Pace Gallery, becoming its youngest artist at the time.

"grey-blue grain" was the second instalment in a three-part program by Adam Pendleton titled EL T D K Amsterdam, which also included two performances alongside the exhibition.