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“The poetry of shadows can be mysterious, which is why we may be either unnerved or attracted to them. Shadows are often an overlooked absence, but their transient forms underline the reality of things and can illuminate truths about life’s myriad forces.’’– Jonathan Thomson

Working with multiple mediums, metal stencil maquettes, etchings and paintings, Australian artist Jonathan Thomson explores his endless fascination with shadows and light in his debut exhibition at the Karin Weber Gallery. Notions of contemporary beauty are expressed both through revelation and concealment. His artworks are based on a close observation of the shadows that are cast by a body of a figure on itself. They are not silhouettes or digital graphic expressions that simply highlight areas of high contrast, but skilful, abstract representations of the patterns of shadows cast by our own bodies. The nude is a primary motif in all his work, as, in the artist’s opinion, it successfully captures both the sensuality and elusive nature of beauty, as well as the fragility of human existence.

Many of Thomson’s works are derived from shadows cast by famous classical and neo-classical sculptures, whilst others are based on contemporary models posing as art historical classics. The artist works by flattening the figure and reducing it to stylized contours based on the interplay of light and darkness. Abstractions within the works are intelligible as they correspond to the rules of optics; the shadows cast are a function of light source, body posture and shape. Their proportions are based on human physiology and are maintained irrespective of the scale of the work.

The importance of absence is a key concept, and a critical part of all of Jonathan’s creative endeavors. Just as silence is essential for sound, so too light needs shadows – absences which are all too frequently disregarded. By privileging these absences and focusing on that which isn’t there, we are invited to contemplate the infinite potential of everything else. Shadows are themselves abstract, insubstantial and ephemeral, but their presence adds truth to form, they give a body substance. While embodying darkness, they can be used to illuminate truths about society, human existence and beauty.

Says the artist, “These latest works are a part of my ongoing interest in pleasure, beauty and desire and how they can be best expressed through transience and elusive forms.  Shadows are key motif in vanitas painting along with flowers, skulls, smoke and butterflies.  All things must pass, but in our hearts and minds, that what we find beautiful is a possession for all eternity.”