Lachlan Thom

Treating the picture plane as both a reflection of and a vehicle for an exploration of reality, Lachlan Thom paints abstract representations of existential settings, some inspired by true locations and others by imagined locales. What results are intense and occasionally uncanny compositions marked by spontaneous brushstrokes and tangible energy. Using pale colors and thin veils of paint and favoring motifs of comics, cartoons, and television sets, Thom turns “low” entertainment into high art. Works like TTYL and Woods feature seemingly out-of-place representations of the feline cartoon character Garfield as a reflection of the pervasive nature of media and entertainment culture. This is further echoed in Boob Tube, which positions a television screen as a window into another realm.