Art News

Peek Into Thomas Hammer’s Artistic Process

Saatchi Art spent this past weekend in Southampton, New York unveiling a pair of works by Thomas Hammer, specially-commissioned by Benjamin Moore with Architectural Digest, as well as limited edition photographs by Dean West at the new design event, Hamptons Contemporary.

Based in New York City, Thomas Hammer is known for his ink works on paper and his paintings on canvas. His technique embraces both full-bodied gestures as well as a delicate touch. Of the works he created for Hamptons Contemporary, he says:

“I aim to depict movement and energy with paint. The two works—Lotus berthelotii and Trochetiopsis erythroxylon—are titled after extinct plants, evoking a moment in time which we cannot return to.”

“Initially, I was inspired by post-war action painting, but over time have developed my own vocabulary of textures, gestures, and techniques when applying paint. These two works have further links with painters from generations before because house paint was commonly used by abstract expressionists who also challenged themselves to repurpose the medium for use in fine art.”

“I hope to extend that legacy with a lyricism and spontaneity that speaks to the complexities of contemporary life, with the calligraphic elements offering a nod to a more cosmopolitan, and hopefully more inclusive, art world today.”