Thomas
1941 Arras, France – 2000 Nice
Grew up in postwar France in Normandy in the shadow of former battlefields and their footprints of destruction while at the same time, colonial wars were raging in Indochina and Algeria with reverse ideologies from World War II. „It was the beginning of Rock n’Roll. I read Joyce and signed my name with my No. Thousands of lives were about being robbed. I was disillusioned, I was 17 years old.“ At this very age he developed a unique artistic process for a political and social cause in his art by punching and burning holes, by tearing apart and collaging in multiple layers, using “ innocent images“ as from children’s books and comics and others, transferring these into a new context to give voice to a social critical language. Thomas‘ contacts were confined to a circle of artists and individuals of the same conviction, avoiding the „pompousness“ of the art market. He was always an artist for artists.
Recommended literature: Exhibition catalogue, Thomas, Les Années 50/60, with essay by Tristan Trémeau, Galerie Hasenclever, München 2010 (french/german).