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MEN’S ISSUE
DUOArticulate Tom Moore in his studio.
Manager Gallery Services
Shane Fitzgerald TOWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Moore Is More For Glass Artist
TOM Moore is a man who knows his craft. His introduction to glass came early on in life, as he recalls viewing glass blowing for the first time at age 16. It was an experience in keeping with a childhood that exposed him to “a lot of very imaginative and inspirational stuff” and ultimately led to him drawing ‘nonsense imagery’ – precursors to his imagined characters no doubt – before entering art school. Moore entered the Australian National University’s glass program in the early 1990s, an experience that he found particularly beneficial as it presented the opportunity to assimilate Venetian glassblowing techniques, which he applied to idiosyncratic imagery. Following his graduation, Moore worked from 1999 to 2014 as Production Manager at JamFactory, a leading not-for-profit craft organisation based in Adelaide. Here, Moore worked on many varied products and commissions, and trained graduates in disciplined production of design and exhibition objects. For a number of years, Moore found his practice positioned somewhat awkwardly between craft and contemporary art, seemingly fitting in neither neatly enough to appease the doyens of ‘good taste’. Despite this, he received a number of major prizes
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for glass-art and, over time, the tide of opinion and opportunity has turned. His work is now included in many prominent public collections, and has been featured in high-profile exhibitions of contemporary art, culminating recently in his participation in Magic Object, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s major exhibition underpinning the 2016 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art. Moore’s glass creatures are a force to be reckoned with. Exquisitely crafted, each is packed with colour, imagination, and a vivid personality. They are seemingly impossible amalgams of people, plants and machines, and call attention to the very real impact we are having on the environment. Moore commented, “I like the idea of sentient plants and rocks. I stick eyes all over plants because I want to feel like they are watching us – perhaps they are holding us accountable for the stuff we do that messes up the planet.” Quite simply, Moore concedes, “I think that if you’re going to explore the relationship of humans and nature – so 1
humans, animals and plants – it’s sort of necessary to acknowledge the problem of human initiated environmental damage.” There is so much to Moore’s works, not only aesthetically but also conceptually, that he has previously been described as a maximalist, opposing the common sentiment that ‘less is more’. Indeed, the artist titled a previous exhibition Moore is More, and explained, “Everything matters: if you think about it, less is actually less.” Once enchanted by Moore’s world of fantastical creatures, it’s hard to disagree. It’s a world that adults will be delighted by, and that children will undoubtedly transport themselves into, all the while learning about glass art, the environment, narratives, and various other themes explored in Moore’s works. As such, Moore’s exhibition Metamorphosis provides the perfect fit for this year’s Glencore Children’s Exhibition. This annual exhibition incorporates interactive elements, promoting hands on engagement with the Visual Arts and creative learning. A number of education resources have also been designed around Tom Moore’s works and the themes he explores, enabling local schools to have rewarding and meaningful experiences that link closely to current curriculum. Metamorphosis, The Art of Tom Moore is the 2016 Glencore Children’s Exhibition and is on display at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery from 26 August – 23 October 2016.
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1. Tom MOORE King Flame Fish 2015 Hot joined, blown and solid glass 32 x 47 x 15 cm
2. Tom MOORE Watt’s Triumph 2016 Hot joined, blown and solid glass, mixed media Figure: 110 x 33 x 16 cm; Hill: 78 x 106 x 28 cm
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