Tom Hermann: Unmasked
On March 16th, Bluethumb welcomed patrons into our Adelaide gallery for the official Unmasked exhibition opening. Bluethumb proudly presents this exclusive collection of new artwork by Australian artist Tom Hermann.
Notable Bluethumb collectors and artists included Diana Jaquillard, Joshua Miels, Brad Holland, Ross Morgan, and Sarah Lubcke.
“Opening night was a huge success, with Art Royalty in attendance, including Robin Eley, Thom Buchanan, and five-time Archibald Prize finalists Nick Stathopoulos,” said Adelaide Gallery Manager Rachel Fisher.
Tom Hermann is a highly collectable artist, born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia. Tom’s paintings are rooted in the notion of critical thinking and the forging of human identity. Unmasked takes a deep dive into the world of costume performance art, Cosplay. The series includes hyperrealistic oil paintings depicting still life images of behind-the-scenes costume-making, props and portraits of cosplayers.
Tom Hermann’s Unmasked exhibition included Cosplay props, such as masks, wigs and costume pieces.
While capturing cosplayers, Tom enjoyed connecting with his models and delving into why they chose to portray particular stories and characters. “I have always been interested in honesty and veracity in portraiture – not just a technically accurate rendering of the subject, but an honest depiction of who they are and who they want to be,” says Tom.
“My subjects are often representative of marginalised voices whether based on ethnicity, gender, sexuality or ability. Cosplay allows people who may feel their voices quietened by the everyday masks they wear to find colour and validity.”
Starlight by Tom Hermann.
“I found that in the process of letting go of their everyday persona and just before inhabiting their chosen character, there were moments of intense honesty, vulnerability, and even intimacy.” Tom found his models demonstrated power and agency while unmasked. “It’s the moment when the subject is about to choose who they are to become, how the world will see them,” Tom explained.
“Cosplayers are often accustomed to louder, brasher poses that project their characters’ personalities. I wanted to strip that away with quieter poses and expose their inner strengths and vulnerabilities,” Tom said. “I wanted them to [play a character] that they resonated with and felt comfortable enough to let down their guard a little… To let me capture that in-between space twixt their street persona and character.”
Tom poses with his paintings of Zio_cos, dressed as a character from the Japanese animated series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Tom began creating the Unmasked collection during the pandemic. He initially found it challenging to connect with members of the cosplay community due to cancelled conventions and limited meet-ups. Despite the tough start, Tom persevered and eventually associated with cosplayers. “The community seemed to understand and embrace what I was doing. Time went on, and we began to unmask literally,” Tom said.
Tom approached this body of work with sensitivity and mindfulness. “There is a huge weight of responsibility to not devolve into a stereotype but to give integrity to the subject… I am not painting the character; I am painting the person cosplaying the character, and that’s an important distinction.”
Wonder Woman means something special to Leonie, a source of strength and inspiration.
“I, Wonder is an intensely powerful piece that stands 2m tall. It portrays my friend, Leonie Dean, in her handcrafted Wonder Woman cosplay.” Leonie is a full-time wheelchair user who attends charity events and inspires disabled children through Cosplay. “She helps them imagine a world where they, too, can be a hero,” said Tom.
“Leonie has become a hero of mine in every way. The piece’s scale being 2m tall reflects her epic nature,” says Tom. “[Her] commitment to the craft and generosity of spirit drives me to push my work further in quality and integrity.”
Pins and Spools by Tom Hermann.
Tom was a semi-finalist in the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2016, 2019 and again in 2022. He won the Kennedy Art Prize People’s Choice Award 2021 and was a Finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize 2022 at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra. Since 2013 Tom has been involved in The Art Academy in Adelaide, an acclaimed fine art school run by internationally renowned artist Robin Eley who gave a speech at the exhibition opening.
Tom plans to attend Comicon in the future. And as for his Cosplay-inspired collection, Tom says, “… Cosplay still offers a rich bed of exploration in that it deals with the most basic principles of identity in incredibly complex ways. There are different voices and different stories that can be told in paint that continue to drive me onward.”
Tom Hermann’s solo exhibition Unmasked is on display until April 30th. Head over to our Adelaide gallery and immerse yourself in the world of Cosplay.
