Tom Hammick | Atlantica 2020

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TOM HAMMICK AT L A N T I C A

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Cover image: Voyage North, edition variable woodcut printed in colours, 2017. 191 ďż˝ 261 cm (detail)

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TOM HAMMICK AT L A N T I C A Virtual Exhibition 13th – 24th April 2020

Lyndsey Ingram 20 Bourdon Street, London W1K 3PL T. +44 (0)20 7629 8849 E. info@lyndseyingram.com W. lyndseyingram.com


c h a r l ot t e m c g u i n n e s , g a l l e ry d i r e c t o r

Our Spring show, Tom Hammick: Atlantica, marks a series of firsts for the gallery. This is our first project with Tom and the first of the gallery’s virtual exhibitions to be shown in its entirety online. As a gallery with its foundations in printmaking, we have long admired Tom’s genuine commitment and intrepid approach to graphic art. Atlantica presents several examples of Tom’s expansive woodcuts, with their richly textured surfaces patterned by the coarse oak wood grain. The scale of the woodcuts ranges from intimate to monumental, with some spanning several large sheets. The breadth of work is remarkable. As the editions are printed, each block is painted and rolled by hand and no two prints are the same. Tom and his team print in short runs that are described as ‘edition variable’ – each sheet is printed from the same block (he favours the reduction process), which has been inked with different colours. With great reverence for storytelling in all its forms, Tom’s works draw from deep wells of myth, literature, music and poetry. Compositions that start as modest subjects are brought to life through the influence of ancient epic tales, orchestral scores and Romantic verse. Passing figures on the shore or loved ones standing beneath tall trees are everyday scenes that take on archetypal timelessness and often become otherworldly. Intimacy and remoteness alternately ripple through the work; an oscillation between specificity and universality; themes that feel particularly pertinent now. The sea, at times translucent and inviting, at others concealing, thick and lightless, becomes a metaphor for a voyage, those we embark on personally and collectively. The show falls at an extraordinary time, in the midst of a global health crisis, when we are redressing how we interact with our environment and one another. Along with the challenges this inevitably brings for many of us, there is also an opportunity for ingenuity and creativity as we navigate our way through it. Spring brings with it an added sense of the potential for restorative growth and newness. We would like to thank Tom and his studio manager, Sophie Ansell, for their tireless efforts in helping to bring this show together and for their flexibility in allowing us to present it in this virtual format. We look forward to it being the first of many. 4

Night Raft, edition variable woodcut printed in colours, 2013. 120 � 80 cm (detail)

F OR E WO R D


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Dawn Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2018. Signed in pencil and numbered 7 from the edition of 15. 70 ďż˝ 53 cm (27 1/2 ďż˝ 20 7/8 in)

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Full Sail (Passacaglia) Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2018. Signed in pencil and numbered 3 from the edition of 15. 70 ďż˝ 53 cm (27 1/2 ďż˝ 20 7/8 in)

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Night and Day Edition variable reduction woodcut in three panels, 2019.

‘Night and Day’ started off as a drawing made while Hammick

Signed in pencil and numbered 2 from the edition of 4.

was on holiday in Greece. A spaceship-like boat sailed into the

182 � 365 cm (71 5/8 � 143 3/4 in)

bay, completely changing the scale of the surroundings. ‘Rather like the way figure and ground relationships are

(Detail overleaf: edition no. 3/4) 8

arranged in an Indian miniature, I wanted to depict my


son, Charlie, small in comparison to the space around him

nicks of colour to help delineate the simplistic forms of trees, rocks,

to emphasise his isolation and to stretch and push and

the horizon and shore-line. Silver pigment was added to the col-

pull the picture plane’ – Tom Hammick

ours for the sea, sky and shore to create heavy, flat and saturated hues. The composition shows the influence of traditional Japa-

The colours in the first layer of the woodcut were arranged ac-

nese screens and after making this triptych, Hammick adapted

cording to temperature. The subsequent layer of carving revealed

one of the prints to become a freestanding six-panel piece. 9


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Out of Blue Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2016. Signed in pencil and inscribed ‘PP II/II’. One of two proof impressions aside from the edition of 10. 60 � 80 cm (23 5/8 � 31 1/2 in)

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Waiting for Time II Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2016. Signed in pencil and numbered 10 from the edition of 15. 60 ďż˝ 80 cm (23 5/8 ďż˝ 31 1/2 in)

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Island in Maine Edition variable woodcut printed in colours, 2017. Signed in pencil and inscribed ‘PP II/V’. One of five printer’s proofs aside from the edition of 10. 91 � 122 cm (35 7/8 � 48 1/8 in)

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Voyage North Edition variable reduction woodcut in fifteen parts printed in colours with hand painting, 2012. Signed in pencil and numbered 3 from the edition of 7. 191 ďż˝ 261 cm (75 1/4 ďż˝ 102 3/4 in)

(Detail overleaf: edition no. 1/7) 19


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Sunday Morning Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2018. Signed in pencil and numbered 2 from the edition of 15. 70 ďż˝ 53 cm (27 1/2 ďż˝ 20 7/8 in)

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Walking to Little Beach across Thurleston golf course there

Sea Barn

is a corrugated hut, an out-post on the edge of the golf

Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours

links. The hut has had many reincarnations since Hammick’s

with hand painting, 2018.

childhood, now storing old mowing hardware. Each year it

Signed in pencil and inscribed ‘AP II/III’.

seems to be located nearer to the cliff’s edge.

One of three proof impressions aside from the edition of 15. 45 � 60 cm (17 3/4 � 23 5/8 in)

‘I found myself hovering above the scene looking down on the edge where water meets land with the hut seemingly sitting between the two. Whenever I go to the sea’s edge I always think of the land slipping under the water; the water slipping over the land. I hope that I conjure this feeling of overlap that is in constant flux.’ – Tom Hammick

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Waiting For Time Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2016. Signed in pencil and numbered 9 from the edition of 10. 122 ďż˝ 163 cm (48 1/8 ďż˝ 64 1/8 in)

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Passing the Narrows Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2014. Signed in pencil and inscribed ‘PP I/V’ One of five proof impressions aside from the edition of 9. 81 � 120 cm (31 7/8 � 47 1/4 in)

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This woodcut was made alongside four other images by chosen artists to commemorate St Michael’s Printshop’s 40th Anniversary in St John’s, Newfoundland. While Hammick was in St John’s, several vast icebergs drifted across the entrance to the harbour and grounded on the seabed 350 metres below the waterline. ‘It was very moving to watch ancient ice melting in streaming waterfalls under the bright sunlight.’ – Tom Hammick For Hammick, the image of an iceberg watched by diminutive figures in a skiff shows how dwarfed we can seem in the face of nature’s power, and encourages us to address important issues like climate change. 28


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Moonlight Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2018. Signed in pencil and numbered 2 from the edition of 15. 70 ďż˝ 53 cm (27 1/2 ďż˝ 20 7/8 in)

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Storm Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2018. Signed in pencil and numbered 2 from the edition of 15. 70 ďż˝ 53 cm (27 1/2 ďż˝ 20 7/8 in)

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The motif of a figure at the helm of a hand-built craft on a journey through a vast sea came together after making a large Caspar David Friedrich-inspired woodcut called ‘Voyage North’ of a barge sailing out under a sky full of stars. Before this, in 2010/11, Hammick had included geodesic domes in several paintings, alluding to a resurgence of the ‘back to the earth’ movement in the face of volatile weather systems, a symptom of climate change. The shelter built on this floating platform becomes both a home and life-raft. Hammick sees the work as ‘a classical quest painting’ and a metaphor for our journey through life, ‘the sailor is trying to get back to something or someone he’s lost, or has been sent on ahead.’

Night Raft Edition variable woodcut printed in colours, 2013. Signed in pencil and numbered 2 from the edition of 4. 120 � 80 cm (47 � 31 1/2 in)

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Raft Edition variable reduction woodcut in three panels, printed in colours with hand painting, 2012. Signed in pencil and numbered 4 from the edition of 7. 120 ďż˝ 240 cm (47 ďż˝ 94 1/2 in)

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Cloud Island From: Lunar Voyage Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2017. Signed in pencil and inscribed 'A P IV/IV'. One of four proof impressions aside from the numbered edition of 16. 122 ďż˝ 171 cm (48 1/8 ďż˝ 67 3/8 in)

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Passes Between Us Edition variable woodcut printed in colours, 2016. Signed in pencil and inscribed ‘PP II/IV’. One of four artist proof impressions aside from the edition of 16. 100 � 80 cm (39 3/8 � 31 1/2 in)

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Watching the Narrows Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2014. Signed in pencil and numbered 3 from the edition of 5. 60 ďż˝ 45 cm (23 5/8 ďż˝ 17 3/4 in)

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Out of St. Johns Edition variable reduction woodcut printed in colours, 2017. Signed in pencil and numbered 3 from the edition of 6. 80 ďż˝ 119 cm (31 1/2 ďż˝ 46 7/8 in)

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Tom Hammick in his studio in East Sussex, 2016. Photograph by Leigh Simpson

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Tom Hammick is an artist and family man who paints and makes prints. He divides his time equally between his painting studio just inland from the sea on the edge of the Weald in East Sussex, and his print studio on the Thames in Bermondsey in South East London. He has a season ticket at The Arsenal and is looking forward to Arteta restoring glory to The Gunners.

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SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2020

2009

Atlantica, Lyndsey Ingram, London.

Never Far Inland, Grenfell Art Gallery, Memorial University, Newfoundland Canada.

2019 Night Animals, Flowers Cork Street.

2006

Lunar Voyage, St Mary’s University Gallery, Halifax Canada.

Plural: New Work, Paul Kane Gallery, Dublin

Deep North. Selected Prints, 2004-2019, Glasgow Print Studio Gallery.

2005

The Making of Poetry, Flowers Gallery and Adam Nicolson,

Journey Through Newfoundland: New Paintings,

celebrating Nicolson’s book published by William Collins.

Eagle Gallery. Travel: New Work, Studio 21 Fine Art, Halifax, Canada.

2017 Lunar Voyage, Flowers New York and London.

2004 Works on paper, Eagle Gallery, London.

2015 Trajectory of a Romantic, Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset.

2003

Wall, Window, World, Flowers Gallery, London.

Homeland: New Paintings, Eagle Gallery, London

With Monograph by Julian Bell, published by Lund Humphries.

2000

2014

London

New Paintings and Prints, Redfern Gallery, Hypnagogic, Flowers Gallery, New York 1999 2012

Pelleas & Melisande and Flight: Prints, Paintings

Dreams of Here, with Andrjez Jackowsky and Julian Bell,

and Tapestries, Glyndebourne Festival, Sussex.

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery.

New Tapestries, Redfern Gallery, London.

Large Printworks, Where Where Gallery, Beijing, China.

Paintings and Prints, Deutsche Bank, London.

Voyage North and other Woodcuts, Belfast Print Studio Gallery, Northern Ireland.

1998 Geography: New Paintings, Eagle Gallery, London.

2011

Lido: Etchings, Drypoints and Monoprints, Redfern Gallery.

Edgeland, Eagle Gallery, London.

London

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Tom Hammick’s studio in East Sussex, 2020

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SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

British Land.

British Museum, Collection of Prints

NSCAD collection, Nova Scotia.

and Drawings, London.

The Groucho Club, London.

Yale Centre for British Art, USA.

DLA & Partners.

British Copyright Council.

Bank of Montreal, Toronto.

Deutsche Bank.

Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

The Conquest Hospital, Hastings

Art Gallery of Newfoundland and

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Labrador.

Chinese Fine Art Academy, Beijing.

Victoria & Albert Museum.

The Royal London Hospital.

Towner Gallery and Museum, Eastbourne.

St Mary's University, Nova Scotia.

Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Prints

Clifford Chance, London.

and Photographs Collection, Paris,France.

Dorset County Hospital.

The Library of Congress Prints and

Merryl Lynch, Bank of America-London.

Photographs Collection, Washington

Minneapolis Institute of Art.

DC, USA.

University of Washington Medical

The New York Public Library.

Centre, Seattle, USA.

Pallant House.

Scripps Women’s Centre, San Diego, USA.

Brighton Museum and Art Gallery.

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SELECTED RESIDENCIES & PRIZES

2020 Associate Artist Glyndebourne. Josef Albers Residency, USA. 2018 Aldeburgh Festival Artist in Residence. 2017 V&A Print Prize, 2016 International Print Biennale. 2014/2015 14/15 Season at ENO, Artist in Residence. 2005 Residency to Newfoundland and Labrador, through the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador and support from the Canada Council, with a placement at the St. Michael's Print Workshop in St. John's. The RA London Print Fair Prize, Royal Academy Summer Show. 2004 Jerwood Drawing Prize 2004.

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‘Whenever I go to the sea's edge I always think of the land slipping under the water; the water slipping over the land. I hope that I conjure the feeling of that overlap that is in constant flux.’ – Tom Hammick


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