Tom Putman

Tom Putman

Standing in a room with multiple sculptures by Tom Putman (1994, NL), it feels like you have entered a palace of mirrors of artistic imagination. Shiny surfaces in the colours of the rainbow reflect gothic lanterns with metal spikes, Plexiglas-wrapped fake flowers and seductive ready-mades. Divergent inspirations, associations and references merge into a unique visual language that feels both recognisable and new.

The underlying theme of all of Putman’s sculptures is the relationship we humans have with objects. The artist researches the visual essence behind mass production lines and reshapes it by adding craftsmanship and, for example, medieval symbolism. The end result of this investigative and creative process – in which the materials and both machine and manual techniques are central – are sculptures that question the everyday interpretation and appreciation of objects. An unambiguous meaning is absent, which makes the search through artistic layers exciting, personal and never-ending.