I feel so fortunate in being able to do the job that I do and have all the experiences that come with it. Art is not only a joy to be around everyday but it’s a way of communicating with each other, of expressing ideas and feelings and what makes us who we are. Connecting with art isn’t just about the artwork itself but the way that an artist can make you look again at the world around you.
Tom Kemp’s work is exactly one of these experiences where I can feel, from the impact of his current solo show, the way I am looking and thinking about writing has changed. The marks that we are all making to communicate with each other, either directly or to continue to be read hundreds of years down the line, are so important to our lives, our knowledge and our experiences with other humans. Taking away the language, you appreciate the shapes, the patterns and movement within these gestures that I’ve been starting to remember marveling over and trying to replicate as a child before my mind was taught to group it all into words. Tom’s work is so much about being human that each single piece communicates as much as a whole manuscript, in a secret language that we didn’t realise we could read.
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Image above: Vessel, wheel-thrown stoneware, by Tom Kemp as part of his solo exhibition (1st - 23rd March 2019)