Tomáš Absolon

Tomáš Absolon (born 1987, Uherské Hradiště) lives and works in Prague. In his painting practice, he continuously develops the depicting qualities of the paintings, tending toward abstract strategies while also drawing on reduced fragments of the real world. His works are characterized by striking colours and energetic forms reminiscent of digital graphics, poster design, and gestural typography. Nevertheless, they are the result of a purely painterly gesture – an analogue approach to mixing colours and layering, working with stencils or dynamic brushstrokes and oil pastels. The artist’s work combines a number of pop culture references, film inspirations, and references to obscure corners of the music scene. His current work is exceptionally close to figurative painting. It features stylized forms that look like figures or living organisms. Imaginary microscopic views into plant cells intertwine with motifs of musicians. Figures that used to hold cigarettes now hold wind instruments instead. Each motif is at a certain stage of evolution: it transitions from one form to another, emphasizing the constant process of transformation and movement that is key to Absolon's work.