Thomas Iser

Though best known for his globe-spanning performance art project ‘Universal Humanity’, French artist Thomas Iser is also making a name for himself as a painter.

Using acrylic and spray paint on canvas, there is a wilful sense of naivety to his works, where Iser seems to be channeling a childlike exuberance through his playful use of colour and expeditious application of paint to the canvas. He is clearly inspired by the energy and swiftness of graffiti art, and these works seem to sit somewhere between a packed wall mural and one of Takashi Murakami’s brimming Superflats. They include many of the same tropes of both: bright and contrasting block colours, repeat patterns, recurring characters and motifs (clouds, flowers, bricks).

On a surface level, the paintings may seem to be unnecessarily chaotic, but closer inspection reveals a wealth of symbolism and menacing tones that undercut the intense colouration. They are deeply layered, with images merging into one another like a palimpsest. There is a dichotomy between the symbols used: stylised flowers and butterflies are placed next to skulls with bleeding teeth, the word ‘chaos’ is written in brightly coloured ‘bubble letters’. Such a use of visual metaphors to explore issues of life, death, and rebirth must come from a deeply personal place.

Kurt Beers / Beers gallery

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