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TOM HAMMIC K
Evading Distopia
21 July – 12 August 2012
Opening receptionSaturday 21 July, 12 – 4 pm
High Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6AGTel: 01386 841555Email: [email protected]
www.campdengallery.co.uk
Open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00am – 5.30pmSunday 11.00am – 4.00pm
My work has often involved using landscape as metaphor: for the human condition, for states of mind, or as a way of expressing ideas about transience, fragility and awe.Recently the imagery of my paintingsand woodcuts has shifted from the actual experience of natural phenomena towards a more imaginaryand mythological dreamscape.
This work, though sourced in part from drawings and photographs made in the area where I live (on the edge of the Weald in East Sussex) has also been inspired by certain Asian texts that describe life in a shack in the wilderness.Po Chi-i’s moving account of inhabiting his thatched Hall on Mount Lu;KamoNo Chomei’s beautiful description of living in a ten-foot-square hut on Mount Hino; (with a geopoliticalbackdrop of famine, war and uncertainty) and Matsuo Basho’s sunnier and more upbeat rendition of hissix-month sojourn on the shore of Lake Biwa, east of Kyoto, have all meant much to me. They connectyou to the overpowering and heightened experiences of living a weather-beaten life in the countryside –a less cluttered way of life bound up with the rotation of the seasons.
The recurring motifs of a small family group, a shed, or a simple house, set in a flattened out landscapeare combined to express both how fragile our interwoven existence is on Earth, and how precarious theconjuring and arrival of creativity is for an artist.I have been using these sorts of images to investigate amore celebratory relationship between dwelling and environment.For me, this is a theme of wonder anda possible answer in the quest for contentment in life.At root, these pictures dwell on quite personalrequirements for happiness: a love of the natural world, and as far as possible, simplicity in living.
Tom Hammick 2012
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1 Island 2012 [front page]oil on linen,160 x 212 cm
2 Barn and Yellow Sky 2012 oil on panel, 38 x 46 cm
3 Island Studio 2 2012 reduction woodcut, 60 x 45 cm
4 Moonlit Woods 2012 reduction woodcut, 60 x 45 cm
5 Beneath the Wide Wide Heaven 2011 reduction woodcut, 100 x 120 cm
6 Dreams of Us EV 2011reduction woodcut, 60 x 45 cm
7 Two Beds EV 2009reduction woodcut, 95 x 65 cm
8 Woods 2011reduction woodcut, 45 x 60 cm
9 Past Atkins Point 2012 oil on panel, 33 x 25.5 cm
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TOM HAMMICK
1963 born UK
1982-85 University of Manchester, BA Hons Art History1987-90 Camberwell College of Art, BA Hons Fine Art 1990-92 Camberwell College of Art, MA Printmaking
Solo shows1993 Star Gallery, Lewes1995 Breathing Again Eagle Gallery, London1996 Arizona Road Series and New Work Redfern Gallery, London
Rye Art Gallery1997 Redfern Gallery, London 1998 The Beach Etchings Eagle Gallery, London
Geography Eagle Gallery, LondonAnna Leowens Gallery, Nova ScotiaEtchings and Monoprints, Redfern Gallery, London
1999 Artist in Residence, GlyndebourneHoxton New Music Days/ Almeida Opera: Pelleas etchingsDeutsche Bank, LondonTapestries, The Redfern Gallery, London
2000 Recall Gallery at Soho 601, LondonRecent Paintings 35 – 37 Bethnal Green Road – an Eagle Gallery exhibition
2001 Atlantic Provinces Paul Kane Gallery, Dublin OC & C, LondonStudio 21, Halifax, Nova ScotiaStar Gallery, Lewes
2003 Homeland Eagle Gallery, London & Standpoint Gallery, LondonNew Works Studio 21, Halifax, Nova Scotia
2005 Thirty Days London Art Fair – Eagle Gallery, LondonMonoprints Flowers East, LondonCampden Gallery, Chipping CampdenTravels through Newfoundland Eagle Gallery, London
2006 Paul Kane Gallery, DublinSeaboard The Art Stable, Dorset
2007 Night Paintings Page & Strange Gallery, Nova Scotia2008 Nocturnal and Other Paintings Charleston, East Sussex
Holding Eagle Gallery, London2009 pro tem Paul Kane Gallery, Dublin
Canopy John Creasey Museum, Salisbury in association withThe Art Stable, DorsetNever Far Inland Sir Wilfred Grenfell College Art Gallery, Corner Brook, NL and the Christina Parker Gallery, St John’s, NL
2010 Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden2011 Imitations of Nature Flowers Central, London
Edgeland Eagle Gallery, LondonTime Thought and Space Chalk Hill Contemporary Art, GuildfordDreams of Us Page & Strange Gallery, Nova Scotia
2012 Evading Distopia Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden
Group shows include1989 Anna Leowens Gallery, Nova Scotia1991 Redfern Gallery, London1992 Redfern Gallery, London1993 One Oxford Street Gallery, Belfast
Four Contemporary Printmakers Redfern Gallery, London1994 Gilchrist Fisher Memorial Prize, Cadogan Contemporary, London
Contemporary European Printmakers London PrintworkshopEast West Gallery, LondonShelf Life Eagle Gallery, London
1995 Three Contemporary Printmakers Redfern Gallery, London1996 Shelf Life II Eagle Gallery, London
Contemporary Art Society Market, South Bank Centre, London1997 Art 97, Business Design Centre, London – Eagle Gallery
Large Print Show Ipswich – selected by Bruce McLeanContemporaries IV – Abstract Eagle Gallery, LondonJoan Prats Gallery, New York – 2 man showContemporary Print Show Barbican Gallery, LondonDeborah Pringle Prints, New Jersey, USAContemporary British Painters Connaught Brown, LondonHunting Art Prize, London
1998 Art 98, Business Design Centre, London – Eagle Gallery/Redfern Contemporary British Painters Connaught Brown, London
1999 Art 99, Business Design Centre, London - Eagle Gallery2000 Art 2000, Business Design Centre, London - Eagle Gallery
Art Frankfurt – Eagle GalleryGallery 21, Halifax, CanadaPanel Painting Wilson Stephens Fine Art, LondonUndercurrents: Matthew Burrows, Tom Hammick, Andrzej JackowskiEagle Gallery, LondonLeading British Artists from Advanced Graphics Original Print Gallery, DublinCheltenham Open Drawing Competition (tour)
2001 Art 2001 Business Design Centre, London – Eagle GalleryEagle Graphics and Imprints Publications – Eagle GalleryJerwood/Cheltenham Open Drawing Competition (tour)
2002 Hunting Art Prize, Royal College of Art, LondonGainsborough's House Drawing Open ExhibitionPrintworks – with Stephen Chambers and Jane Joseph – Eagle GalleryWall to Wall Sarah Myerscough Fine Art, London
2003 Hunting Art Prize, Royal College of Art, LondonPrize winner Sussex Open Painting CompetitionThe Figure in Contemporary Print Flowers East, LondonToronto International Art Fair – Studio 21
2004 Works on Paper, Eagle Gallery, LondonRA Summer ExhibitionToronto International Art Fair – Studio 21
2005 RA Summer Exhibition2007 From Elsewhere Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden
Enchanted Eagle Gallery, London2008 Monoprints Flowers East, London
IFPDA Print Fair, New York – Flowers Gallery2009 Summer’s Lease Eagle Gallery, London
IFPDA Print Fair, New York – Flowers Gallery2010 Multiplied, Christies, South Ken – Eagle Gallery2011 Summer Exhibition Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden
Out of Drawing Zimmer Stewart Gallery, ArundelMultiplied, Christies, South Ken – Eagle Gallery
IFPDA Print Fair, New York – Flowers GalleryThreadneedle Prize. Mall Galleries, London
2012 Meltwater Eagle Gallery, LondonDreams of Here Brighton City Museum and Art GalleryDaiwa Foundation Art Prize exhibition, Daiwa Foundation, London
Competitions and awards1989 Spectator Award Exhibition1990 Contemporary View, Royal College of Art, London1993 Gilchrist Fisher Memorial Travel Fellowship Finalist1994 South East Arts, Artists in Schools Projects
Artist in Residence on the M.V. Radnes from Avonmouth1995 Nat West Young Artists Award - Finalist1996 Ballinglen Arts Foundation Residency Award
Lowick House Print Workshop Residency, Cumbria1998 Winston Churchill Fellowship1999 Robert Fraser Award2002 Personal Development Scheme, Major Award,
Southern and South East Arts2003 Winner of Sussex Open ‘032004 Prize Winner, Jerwood Drawing Prize2005 London Original Print Fair Prize, RA Summer Exhibition
Artist in Residence, Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador2006 Sovereign Art Prize Exhibition, Bonhams, London2009 Nexus Art Prize, Northern Print Biennale2012 Daiwa Foundation Art Prize – shortlisted artist
CollectionsArts Council of Northern Ireland; British Museum (Dept. Prints & Drawings);Yale Center for British Art, CT, USA; De Beers, London; British Copright Council; DeutscheBank AG, London; Arthur Andersen PLC; British Midland; BZW Bank, London; TheConquest Hospital, Hastings; Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London; The RoyalLondon Hospital; Dorchester Hospital; St Mary's University, Nova Scotia; Clifford Chance,London; DLA, London; Merryl Lynch, London; Bank of Montreal, Canada, The Art Galleryof Nova Scotia, Canada; Washington University Medical Centre, Seattle; Art Gallery ofLabrador, Canada; Towner, Eastbourne
Selected bibliography:1995 Financial Times, William Packer, 19 September
Time Out, Sue Hubbard, 27 SeptemberArts Review, SeptemberArts Review, October
1996 Financial Times: Pick of 1995 Exhibitions, William Packer, 31 DecemberArts Review: Living Landscapes, MarchPrintmaking Today, Vol 5 No. 3, Ivan Tennant
1998 The Irish Times, Eileen Battacby, 15 AprilSunday Independent: Whitechapel Open, Tim HiltonHouse and Garden, Katherine Hooker, JuneHomes and Gardens, JulyThe Coast Magazine, Nova Scotia, 6 AugustThe Observer, Roger Tredere, 13 SeptemberThe Independent, Richard Ingleby, 17 SeptemberThe Sunday Telegraph, John McEwen, 27 SeptemberModern Painters, Julian Bell, Winter issue
1999 House and Graden, Lucy Elworthy, JanuaryHouse and Garden, AugustWorld of Interiors, August
2000 Art Works – British and German Contemporary Art 1960 - 2000The Deutsche Bank Collection, Alistair HicksPaintings on Wood, Wilson Stephens Fine Art, catalogueA Case for Art, Sue Hubbard, DLA Collection, catalogueSaturday Telegraph, Notebook, 19 AugustObserver: Interiors, Tamsin Blanchard, 20 AugustEvening Standard, 15 NovemberIndependent, Richard Ingleby, 10 DecemberWhats On, Laura Gascoigne, DecemberCritics Choice, Sunday Telegraph, John McEwen
2001 Capital Art, Dublin, April issueCara, March/April issue Vol 34 No 2The Irish Times, 4 April, Aidan DunneThe Sunday Herald, Halifax, Elissa BarnardThe Coast, Halifax, 30 August - 6 September Brighton Argos
2002 Interiors Magazine, October issueThe Financial Times, 2 November, William PackerArts Atlantic no.71
2003 Art Review, March, Laura GascoigneThe Week, 23 March, Gair BoaseGalleries, March, Luke ElwesPrintmaking Today Vol 12, No 1, Spring issueMarmalade magazine, April issueMetro Life, Evening Standard 18 - 24 April The Frame - Merridian TV documentary (ITV 30 May)Printmaking Today Vol 12, No 2, Summer issue - Mike SimsCountry Living, May issue 2003 pp 122, 124, 127Canadian Art, Summer 2003 Vol 20 No 2Canada Sunday Chronicle Herald, Elissa Bernard, 22 June
2004 Sunday Independent Magazine, Emilia Fox, 4 JanIndependent, 2 March - Sue Hubbard
2005 Observer, 16 October - Caroline BoucherIndependent, 11 November - Sue Hubbard
2008 The London Magazine, August-September, Robert Vas Dias in collaborationwith Tom Hammick and Stephen ChambersThe Times, 6 September - Rachel Campbell-Johnston: Top Five GalleriesIndependent, 18 September- Sue HubbardThe Week, 19 September- Jane Ross
2009 The Irish Times, 29 April – Aidan Dunne: Remarkable work inspired by unremarkable things
2011 The Times, Playlist, 19 March – Rachel Campbell-JohnstonThreadneedle Prize, Independent, 4 October – Michael Glover
