| Shanti Thomas |
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03.12.49- London.
My work is figurative and narrative responses to situations,relationships in the family /group and society,on and around gender and identity in oils and pastels. I am Indian/Italian living in London I studied art in Florence London and Barcelona. Selected solo shows have been at Commonwealth I nstitute,Gatwick airport where I was artist in residence and selection of numerous group shows at Camden Arts Centre,Barbican,Arnolfini and Whitechapel etc. I also have taught a lot in schools,further and adult education.
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| About the Artist |
Significant strands to my painting is working with interpretations of the experience and the narrative in the personal and beyond in the symbolic, the imaginary and the real. The things I paint are responses to situations that reoccur or memorable that have some emotional intrigue mystery or conflict. The duality of my roots I ndia and Italy two cultures from the East and the West have inspired work on identity of similarity and diversity, uniqueness and otherness. Places that frequently occur in my paintings are Florence and Agra where my parents were from and London where I live.
The narratives are often allegorical exploring what goes on below the surface of things connections and contradications of closeness and distance between people. The depiction of the narrative of the journey as stages in life and the emotional process working for and against the responses of conflict.
I work from observation,memory and imagination.Drawing and sketching from life informs my practise of painting from memory, reworking and reinventing. Art that has influenced ; Artemisia Gentileschi,Amrita Sher-Gill,Goya,Titian , Hokusai, Ajanta Cave Paintings,Indian Miniatures,Munch,Ken Kiff and many others. |
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Click to enlarge images (if larger image has been loaded) |
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Black Widow
2001 46h x 36w (cm's) |
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Part of a series on masks and sexuality exploring differents facets this one concerned with sorrow and revenge. |
Precarious Positions
2000/1 oil 89h x 114w (cm's) |
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A playful look at difficult point in relationships- part of a series on sexuality masks and role playing.
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Mondo Mio
1998/9 122h x 183w (cm's) |
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I wanted to map my cultures of Italy India and England of the significances of places and connections in a metaphorical landscape.
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Sleeping Woman
1985 152h x 122w (cm's) |
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Made a year after my first visit to India I embarked on making large heroic images of women of the matriarch the nurturer of the contributions made.This piece is very much affected by the death of my mother a few years earlier and how in death we look like as if just asleep.
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High Heels
1988 46h x 36w (cm's) |
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Part of the series on masks and roles - this was painted in Barcelona is off the apparel and clothing of attraction. |
Rosebud
2005 122h x 183w (cm's) |
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The image of a carousel and the symbolic repetition in life were the thoughts surrounding this piece concerned with theories of drives yearnings, physicallity and death. Movement and stillness.
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City Tempo
1985 76h x 102w (cm's) |
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A image of turbulence a response to an exhibition proposal about London - it is about pressure of living needing to work the infrastructure of economy the city different stratas pushing down upon us.
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The Drive
2004 Oils on Canvass 76cm[h] sx 91cms[w]. |
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A figure approaching a car the driver hidden an image - the metaphor of a vechile and power physical/emotional drives. The survival instincts of need communication the edge of fear safety and the human condition . |
Pensive Amy
2008 oils on board 38cm x46cms |
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An image of a pensive Amy Winehouse in response to all the press media coverage of her life this year.
This was painted from a newspaper photograph that caught my eye and interest as it showed a different side of the woman in the public domain.The notion of tension the intensity of the gaze of being watched and watching.The amount of attention and ambivalence " of catching" those in the public eye is perhaps an exaggeration of the experience lover's pursuit. |
The Public Eye
2008 Oils on Canvass 40cms x 60cms |
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Trying to capture the unease the tension of the attraction of looking and being looked at - in this case someone Amy Winehouse whom like Princess Diana in public eye. |
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| Education and biography |
Signa Simi's School of Drawing
Academy of Fine Arts of Florence
Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts
Selected Solo Exhibtions
1987-Commonwealth Institute London
1989- 'Leaving' Around the whitechapel Gallery Programme
1994-Journeys-Conoco Oil Headquarters
1994- Shanti Thomas at Gatwick Airport -exhibition of the airport residency and tour.
Selected group shows;
'The Human Figure' and 'Inner Language'-Ikon Touring programme.
Athena Art Awards-Barbican Concourse Gallery.
'Critical Realism'- social realism in the 80's- Nottingham, Edinbugh,Camden Arts Centre, Winchester.
The Birthday Book- Smith's GalleryLondon,Rye,Brighton,Richard De Marco's Gallery Glasgow,Usher Gallery Lincoln.
Black Art Plotting The Course- Oldham,Wolverhampton,Bluecoat Gallery Liverpool,Camden Arts Centre.
Whitechapel Open - 1988 and '89
1988 Women's Artist Diary-Fulham Palace
Ways of Telling-Oriel Mostyn Wales
Artist Abroad-Usher Gallery Lincoln
Circular Dance-five women artists Arnolfini Gallery Bristol,Stoke on Trent,Minories Colchester.
Arts Council Collection Touring Exhibition, Birmingham University and Arts Council Offices London.
Art in the Dock- two person show St Kastherine's Dock London.
Group show -Groc Art Barcelona
Duncan Street Gallery London Summer /Christmas shows
Hiroshama- Brunei Gallery London University. |
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| Future shows |
| The River - Group exhibition of London Arts Cafe at The Juggler Hoxton November 2006 |
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Website: www.shantithomas.com |
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