Tom Hallet : At The Wunderwall Antwerp
My artistic practice has always been fuelled by a quest for representation and recognition. I sow my existence to that of my ancestors, by dismantling grey areas and inconsistencies within our canonical history, for, if no one "like me" preceded me, how can I ever find proof of my own existence?
My work consists of drawing and sculpture. These two media engage in a continuous discourse with each other and the viewer, concerning queer themes and dominant narratives about love and identity, violence and loss. The drawings function as letters, dedicated to lovers, family members, queer icons, as well as their aggressors. They depict highly detailed, fantastical sceneries, sometimes abstract, sometimes figurative, wherein bodies are fused into dense nature.
Though there is a level of distress in my work, it remains hopeful. My installations allows to reflect on the stories we tell ourselves regarding representation, social constructions and history.
