Not Looking - a mixed media exhibition by sculptor/poet
Brian Thomas.

Not Looking
Not Looking
at the white fuschia
facing the sea
at the crimson rose
climbing the terrace
at the wheeling seagull
above the black
volcanic sand…

Not Looking is a new body of work bringing together a collection of constructed sculptures, writing and performance by Brian Thomas. The work is pure, sparse, constructed and graphic. In the four key pieces the narrative travels between the alphabet (as in the interactive Poem Box, which is echoed in the plaster cast cubes on the Poem Shelf) and the fragments of words discovered in Stack. The exhibition is framed by Cut From the Tree, a series of six 9ft planks of local sycamore which encircle the gallery with the words of the poem Not Looking routed into the wood. Light plays on the surfaces, words recede and resonate.

Brian introduces a playful element to his work by inviting the visitor to move the word cubes in the Poem Box to create new relationships and meaning. Each sycamore cube is coloured with hand lettering or routed letterforms on the six facets using fragments of poetry. The viewer, like a child with building blocks, interacts with the work though engagement with words, colour, texture and rhyme. Jackson Pollock was the catalyst and inspiration to inject gesture, action, colour and random; a vehicle for humour.

Brian Thomas is a sculptor poet.  His fascination for letterforms was borne from his early work as a graphic designer which gave rise to seeing letterforms as objects in their own right. His interested in performance poetry has developed over the years, taking part in the Poetry Slam at the Cheltenham Literature Festival and performing at the closing event for Mull Little Theatre in November  2006. The narrative and short verse is integral to his work as an artist and performer.

A short film of the artist performing his poetry plus a series of preparatory sketches and maquettes accompanies the exhibition in Gallery II.

List of works:
1. Interactive Poem Box: 8ft x 4ft open-topped box on two plinths containing approx 24 cubes coloured with hand/routed letterforms from fragments of poetry. The audience is invited to move pieces to make new relationships between the cubes. Freestanding floor piece.

2. Poem Shelf: sculpture formed in cast plaster cubes and sycamore, echoing the words/sounds of the Poem Box.  Vertically wall-mounted piece.

3. Cut from the Tree: six lengths of 9ft long sycamore routed with the words of the poem Not Looking encircling the gallery. Wall/floor mounted piece

4. Stack: 192 pieces in four vertically stacked columns of cut wood – a poem that reaches for the sky. Floor piece

Audio CD – recording of poetry being read by Brian Thomas available

Brian lives on the Ross of Mull and has exhibited throughout the UK. This is the first exhibition of his work at An Tobar. 

Exhibition opening & poetry readings:
Sunday 4th March      3.30pm

Gallery I, An Tobar
Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm
Admission Free

MIXED MEDIA / POETRY WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS with BRIAN THOMAS
Monday 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th March
Coastguard Hut, Fionnphort
7pm - 9pm      £7/(£5 members)
Places limited. Please book on 01688 302211