What We Keep

What We Keep explores the quiet space that exists after release.

Letting go is often understood as an act of removal, as though healing requires us to erase every memory, emotion, or trace of what came before. Yet some things remain. Not because we are unable to move forward, but because they become part of who we are.

The experiences we carry, the lessons we uncover, and the truths revealed through reflection continue to shape us long after the moment has passed. Rather than defining us by the past, they become the foundation from which we understand ourselves more honestly.

This work reflects that process of acceptance. It considers the difference between what no longer serves us and what deserves to be carried forward. Within its layered surface are suggestions of memory, erosion, and reconstruction echoes of what has been released alongside the fragments that remain.

What We Keep invites viewers to consider that healing is not measured by what is left behind, but by what remains once everything unnecessary has fallen away.

Dimensions – 150cm (w) x 100cm (h) x 5cm (d)
Framed dimensions – 154cm (w) x 104cm (h) x 6cm (d)
Framed in white, ready to hang
Signed certificate of authenticity

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Tom Orrin is an Adelaide-based artist whose work is a deeply personal expression of creativity and emotion. Naturally shy and reserved, Tom often found it difficult to express himself in words, and art became his outlet—a place where he could communicate freely in a world where he felt he didn’t quite fit. From doodling in schoolbooks to exploring graffiti in his teenage years, the vibrant layers and colours of urban walls sparked his fascination with texture and experimentation. After stepping away from art for a few years while pursuing a career in house painting, Tom returned to his practice with renewed passion and vision. Over the last decade, he has developed a distinctive abstract style, drawing inspiration from old exposed brick, layered surfaces, and his instinctive creative nature. Each artwork he creates carries a unique emotional resonance, reflecting his journey of self-expression and continual artistic evolution.