Tristian Koenig is delighted to announce the opening of the gallery’s first project with David Thomas, When Two Directions Become All Directions, from Thomas' Gently Painted Series. 

David Thomas’ practice is concerned with the abiding legacy of the monochrome and the practices of 20th century painting. The impact of photography on painting, the move from representation to abstraction; as either art-concrete or material manifestation of the metaphysical, as well as a deep  concern with the performative and durational qualities of painting practice have been hallmarks of Thomas' work of over 30 years as an exhibiting artist.

When Two Directions Become All Directions presents a variety of strains in Thomas' recent work, including photo-paintings, paintings and painted architectural forms. In exhibiting a variety of perceptual and conceptual positions within the exhibition, the context of the work - the gallery itself, becomes an object of aesthetic contemplation and part of the palette of Thomas' expansive practice.

Associate Professor David Thomas was born in Belfast, North Ireland in 1951 and arrived in Australia in 1958. Recent exhibition include When Two Directions become All Directions, Conny Deitzshold, Sydney; Melbourne Now, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Dialogue (with Rolf Rose), Raum 2810, Bonn and The Porthmeor Project, St. Ives, United Kingdom.

Thomas' work is held in numerous public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne; Artbank; Trinity College, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne; Mornington Peninsula Art Centre, Victoria; Victoria Council for Adult Education, Melbourne; Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne; Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Victoria; The Lefebvre Collection, Sydney; Baillieu/ Myer Collection of Australian Art Of the Eighties, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne; Western Mining Collection; Cripp’s Collection, Australia and United Kingdom; Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland; Canterbury University, Christchurch; The Wolff Collection, Bonn; Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne, Lim Lip Museum, Gong Ju, Kunstmuseum, Bonn, Bonn and Private collections in Australia, USA, France, Germany, South Korea, New Zealand and the UK.

*image (left)
courtesy of the artist and Tristian Koenig