Thomas Yeomans, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"

Comprised of three elements, the paintings take one film still from a Western movie, one image of nuclear destruction and both images are seen in 'split screen' through a corporate logo. The Western image represents a kind of utopia. Western films create fantastic stories which manipulate a history marred with bloodshed to appear heroic and courageous. Seen in glorious technicolour, these stories represent American values- aspirations, dreams and manifest destiny.

The image of nuclear destruction represents the opposite. At the height of Cold War weapons testing, the Soviet Union developed the Tsar Bomb- the largest nuclear weapon ever to be detonated. Over 20 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Nagasaki this destructive power, if exchanged with the West, would have devastated the planet as we know it.

These two opposing visions are seen one on top of the other, through logos of powerful institutions. Symbols from banks, media corporations and online media companies are used to mediate between the conflicting images. In a sense, the paintings put forward a diagram of the contemporary world where our knowledge of facts, fictions, good and bad are filtered. Sponsored by banks and reported through biased news channels- the horrors and successes of life are seen in a confusing mass of jarring images.


Thomas Yeomans, Artist Information

Friends of The White Room and HM Graphics will recognise Tom as he spent many years working in the gallery and as a picture framer. As well as having a strong love of art it quickly became apparent to us that Tom was a very talented painter. It therefore came as no surprise that four years ago he secured a place at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art. Having graduated this summer with a first class honors degree we are extremely proud to be hosting his first solo show as a professional artist!