We are delighted to announce our partnership with the prestigious Dubel Prize Emerging Artists of the Year competition, where we are proud to showcase the extraordinary works of competition finalist, Hannah Thomas.
The artist describes herself predominantly as an abstract artist, working mostly with acrylics and mixed media. “I paint with bold colours,” she says, “creating fractured and interlocking landscapes occupied with biomorphic forms with a dash of the absurd and macabre."
Hannah, currently based in Wiltshire, UK, embarked on a creative journey, transitioning from photography to abstract painting, seeking a medium that allowed for greater autonomy and immediate tactile expression. Her provocative works delve into existential concerns, drawing inspiration from a diverse range of influences. She explains, "My visual language reflects my influences – Francis Bacon, HR Giger, Basquiat, David Lynch, and the natural world - but using my suggestive shapes, layers, and totemic symbols I want also to conjure an emotional topography that is specifically mine."
The driving force behind Hannah's work is an existential ache, a contemplation of personal freedom and autonomy, and a profound concern about the threats to that freedom. Her paintings serve as a celebration of the 'other,' often populated by motifs referencing the figurative or biological. These motifs signify the presence of a creature or life form representing the savage, the mischievous, the outsider—the disturber of the status quo existing beyond the confines of social and political culture.
Describing her work, Hannah says, "My paintings are a celebration of the ‘other,’ often populated by motifs that reference the figurative or biological, indicating the presence of a creature or life form that represents the savage, the mischievous, the outsider, the disturber of the status quo and existing outside of the social and political culture."
The artist’s fictional landscapes highlight the absurdity and chaos that underpins life. Her work, characterised by bold colours and fractured landscapes, draws viewers into a world that inspires personal reflection and a universal understanding of the human condition.
As a testament to her artistic prowess, Hannah recently won the VAA Scholarship & Exhibition Award and was commissioned to contribute a piece for auction with 4bySix, painted on a reclaimed London bus panel. She was also shortlisted for this year's Visual Art Open and is now a finalist in the Dubel Prize: Emerging Artist of the Year. Currently working from her studio in Bradford on Avon, Hannah is enrolled in the Turps Correspondence Course for 2023/24.
Her solo exhibition starts this Thursday, 7th December, at the Red Eight Gallery, The Royal Exchange, London, EC3V 3LR, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. So come and immerse yourself in the world of Hannah Thomas's thought-provoking art, accompanied by complimentary drinks and food.
To secure your spot at this exclusive event, please RSVP and join us in celebrating the achievements of a remarkable artist whose work invites us to explore the depths of existential contemplation and the vibrant tapestry of the human experience.