Description
Plectrum medium Yamaha #01 from Patrick Thomas is a signed limited edition of 50. The print measures 100cm x 70cm and is 1 ink / hi-gloss varnish silkscreen on 300gsm Hahnemuhle hi-White (acid-free) paper. Printed at Patrick Thomas studio in Berlin.
Graphic artist Patrick Thomas currently lives and works between Berlin and Barcelona. He was born in Liverpool, England, and studied at Saint Martins School of Art and The Royal College of Art in London, before relocating to Spain in 1991. In 1997 he founded Studio la Visa where he divides his time between printing, painting, and making images for the international press. Thomas has been described as an icongraphiste by American design critic Steven Heller. His work combines iconic images to create new, powerful messages. His art avoids labels, Thomas explains I’m interested in process, in typography, in image-making and art. What I do is hopefully something that doesnt fit neatly into any one of these categories. Thomas’ art is rooted in popular iconography that is re-purposed and re-composed; transforming common visual artefacts into social and political commentary. Thomas believes art should communicate, provoke and question, I almost feel an obligation to criticise or question. Although, ambiguity also plays an important role in his art. A successful piece, he feels, has multiple possibilities of interpretation. His work is vividly graphic and thoughtfully composed. He favours bold images and takes inspiration form a wide array of sources. Thomas has a particular affinity with 18th Century book plate designer Thomas Bewick, who set up his own press with the idea of improving peoples lives through printed images. Thomas has appropriated Bewicks tiny book plate fox in his own series of fox and hound prints, subverting expectations, I’m interested in the idea of role reversal that there are now many foxes all over the place and the hound is the endangered species. In recent years Thomas has exhibited his work across five continents and it can be found in numerous private and public collections. He has had solo and collective exhibitions at The New York Times, Victoria and Albert Museum London, The Narrows Gallery Melbourne, New York School of Visual Arts, Salvador Dal Museum Florida, Santralistanbul Contemporary Art Center Istanbul, Museum fr Gestaltung Zurich, La Triennale di Milano, Tropenmuseum Amsterdam, Palau de la Virreina Barcelona, Museum fr Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, The Ginza Graphic Gallery Tokyo, and The International Center of Photography, NYC. In addition to his silkscreen Thomas creates editorial work for the press. press work is a fantastic platform to reach people you can actually get onto someones breakfast table in the morning. He has published two books, Black and White and Protest Stencil Toolkit, and regularly contributes to the New York Times Book Review. In 2005 he was elected a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI).Read our editorial featuring Patrick Thomas:The Art of Politics and The Politics of Art Image Credit: Patrick Thomas at Woodbridge andRees gallery, London. May 2011, Photo: Robert Charbonnet
