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Arranged groupings of intimate small-scale works, each experimenting with different ideas, effects, processes and imagery. Presented, as if to be studied, every unit resembles a stage in a personal and maybe otherwise private secret diary, even though the sequence is not that of chronology or production and not all are kept or shown. Conflicting qualities and attributes include precious and fragile, the crude and course, the direct and the cryptic. The striving and insight expected of trial-run exercises and archival material persists.
Douglas Park, 2010. |
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This is an artist who, like the rest of us, has a huge arsenal of fragmented images, quotes, characters and ideas at his fingertips- but in his case one imagines decades worth of snippets, in the drawers and flickering through the neural pathways, all ready to be tweaked by Tom. He seems to have a peculiarly British sensibility, and, for a male artist working in this genre, there is a refreshing lack of emphasis on teenagey stuff. That aside, his work fills me with glee (with envy following hot on its heels) because of the way in which he uses this weaponry so sparingly. It is dizzyingly simple with devastating effect.
This is an artist with command of an acerbic wit, but he never comes accross as a meany or a cynic. He uses a tender line to circumscribe his characters, in fact he casts a tender eye over all the proceedings, so his work never resorts to merely being goofy. These clippings from his life's project make me want to be his pal.
Lucy Stein (press release. GMVZ), 2007 |
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TOM J. MASON
b. 1976
Lives and works in London
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2010
SystM Gallery, Berlin
2007
Martin Van Zomeren / GMVZ, Amsterdam
Total Gallery, Berlin
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2011
The New Pretenders, CSM MA Fine Art Interim Show, Oxo Gallery/Bargehouse, London
2010
Mare Street Biennale, London
Big Society - Space Station Sixty-Five, London
Living in Orange! / Easyjetsetters - Forgotten Bar / Galerie Im Regierungsviertel, Berlin
Exhibitionism: The Art of Display - The Courtauld Inst. of Art, Somerset House, London
Some You Win, Some Deleuze - Collective, London
2009
Schoen Von Tinten - Cafe CK, Berlin
Photo Stories - Miss Micks, Berlin
The Drawing Hand – Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris
2008
Abigail’s Arty - Crimes Town Gallery, London
Art Rotterdam - Martin Van Zomeren/GMVZ presentation, Rotterdam
We Regret To Inform You... - Madame Lillies, London
2007
Ruhe Bewahren / Let The Children Use It - Tacheles, Berlin
C'Art Gallery - Kirklees
At Your Convenience - Madame Lillies, London
2006
Today Is A Beautiful Day - Nog Gallery, London
Le Gun International Festival - Nog Gallery, London
Askew - Madame Lillies, London
2004
Plener - Gdansk PL
Top Shop - Compaq Space, Berlin
Workshop A102004 - Area 10, London
2003
Joy Flying - Pankow, Berlin
No Friends - East of Eden, Berlin
2002
Wall - Thomas Aquino Church, Amsterdam
Restcycling Arts - RAW Tempel, Berlin
Comic Club - Shop Furiosa, Amsterdam
2001
Toilet 2 - Akademie OT301, Amsterdam 2000
Something To See, Something To Do - Begane Grond, Amsterdam
Toilet - Jen's Palace, Vancouver
1999
Balloon, Headphones, Wall - UWE Degree Show, Bristol
Arrivals, Harbour Museum - Bristol
1998
Quirk In Progress - Shop, Bristol
Open Flan - Apartment, Bristol
CONCERT / PERFORMANCE / OTHER
2007 - Audio Rodeo (concerts), Berlin
2005 - The Break Ups (concerts / performance), London
2001-02 - Double Yuck (radio show), Radio Patapoe, Amsterdam
2001 - Bunny Holiday (performance), Ferry, Enkhuizen
2001 - Sunday Fun, Beauty, Consumption etc (workshop), Shop Furiosa, Amsterdam
2000 - The Grey Frey Fringe (performance), Akademie OT301, Amsterdam
BOOK / PUBLISHING FAIRS
2006 - Publish and Be Damned, Rochelle School, London
2005 - Publish and Be Damned, Clerkenwell Crypt, London
2005 - Vanity Fair, Clerkenwell Literature Festival, London
2005 - Flea Market, TemporaryContemporary Gallery, London
2005 - Printing Matters, Witte de With, Rotterdam
PUBLICATIONS
2009 - Peeping Tom's Digest 1: 'The Chain' Berlin
2009 - Work -Subbacultcha! art compilation
2009 - Soft 1 -Crimes Town Gallery 'zine
2008 - Subbacultcha!
2008 - The Amsterdam Weekly
2008 - Cafe Royal 2 (group anthology of drawing)
2008 - Peep! (group anthology of drawing and writing)
2008 - Creature Magazine 7 (guest co-editor / contributor)
2006 - Close To The Bone (self-published)
2006 - Pouring Action (self-published)
2005 - The Crooked Hotline (self-published)
2004 - The Evening's Entertainment (self-published)
2004 - Snazz (self-published)
2003 - No Friends (group-published magazine)
2002 - Exercise Book / The Comic Club (anthology from drawing group)
EDUCATION
2009-11 - MA Fine art, Central Saint. Martins, London (ongoing)
1995-99 - BA(hons) Fine Art, University of The West of England, Bristol |