Frieze Sculpture 2019

“Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone.”

‘Cloud Study (Partner Dance)’ is a public work comprising of two weather vanes, which mirror each other in their design, source imagery and function, both pointing in the same direction as the winds shift. Produced in laser cut and painted steel with bearings and blown glass.

The imagery atop the vanes is selected from Thomas’s archive of “personal rain clouds”, imagery that has often been used in comic strips as a popular means by which to explore the complexities of depression, anxiety and mental health. In this work the two vanes take elements from Tom Patterson’s “Calamity James” and Charles M. Schulz’s widely syndicated “Peanuts” placing them side by side and allowing them to “reach out” to each other in order to find solace in their mutual struggles.The precursor to this work was Thomas’s ‘Cloud Study’ (2017), which was commissioned by VITRINE for its SCULPTURE AT commission and situated in Bermondsey Square, London, for six months.

‘Cloud Study’(2017) was adorned with an exclamation from Al Capp’s “Joe Btfsplk” which read: “ Yo’ is stuck in thar fo’ever li’l gray cloud”, Joe’s celebration having overcome his personal “grey cloud” by blocking it messiah like in a cave with a boulder.

Thomas has previously stated that he hopes “to evade the traditional hallmarks of public sculpture: for an imposing quality to be substituted by quietness, heroism by the everyday, stillness by function, sternness by humour and vulnerability in place of grandstanding.”VITRINE’s presentations in Frieze Sculpture further the gallery’s commitment to presenting work outside the traditional white cube gallery model.

www.frieze.com/tags/frieze-sculptureFrieze Sculpture is located in the English Gardens of The Regent’s Park, London.