Megan and The Second Breath - A new solo show by Tom Lewis

Grace and Peril are pleased to announce a new solo exhibition by London based artist Tom Lewis. ‘Megan and The Second Breath’ will open at Dalston Pier, at the end of May.

This show sees Tom return to the transcendental stories in which his trademark characters live, but in a departure from the often more linear narratives found in his paintings, here he explores more abstract ideas about the temporality of memory. As the title suggests, the recent works depict moments of suspension and epiphanies, when memories flourish, stories propagate and histories are given agency. In this case, it’s ancient truths that are revealed to our heroine, before she is plunged back into the heat of battle. Ancient truth tends to come in handy when fighting destiny’s squid-like corporeal form.

In this series of dramatic large scale works on board, the landscapes themselves reflect the hazy space in which memories lie half remembered. For this show Tom’s signature aesthetic, a blend of 2D computer game art, Japanese woodblock prints and a sprinkling of street art, has expanded to include an earlier, more mystical, Chinese feel. Borrowing freely from the riches of this ancient cultural lineage, Tom’s characters find themselves floating above mountains shrouded in fog, and imbued with stillness and contemplation. We are invited to join the story, but only given clues on where to begin.

Constantly exploring the idea of finding meaning in the meaningless, the visual language Tom has developed encourages in the viewer an intangible feeling of an essential truth held just beyond our understanding. Blazing red symbols or vaguely recognisable Japanese-esq characters estrange the Western gaze, tease us with secrets we are sure they contain, if only we could translate them. It is this feeling of playful mystery, this joyful eagerness to understand what it means, that continues to captivate his audience.

About the artist
Born in Birmingham in 1979, Tom received a BA(Hons) degree in Fine Art from Middlesex University. Since then his paintings and prints have been exhibited worldwide including London, Hong Kong and New York. Following an exciting, if surreal appearance on The Young Apprentice in 2010, his unique aesthetic earned appreciation from a rapidly expanding fan base. He remains one of the UK’s leading independent artists.

Private view: Saturday 31st May, 3 - 7pm
Please R.S.V.P to [email protected]