Featured Mondo Artist: Roland Thompson

August 11th, 2010
Dividat Aquas Ab Aquis

Dividat Aquas Ab Aquis

We are very excited to be showcasing works by Utah artist Roland Thompson. His works embraces order and chaos and with such elegance and control. He meticulously applies layers of paint and wax to aluminum, giving the pieces beautiful depth, then cuts the shape out, giving the work even more of a sculptural feel. "My work is a product of a lifetime investigation into design, process, beauty, and aesthetic experience in connection to the larger question of the human condition.  I have adopted the language of geometric abstraction which was established over a hundred years ago to address spiritual and social issues.  We live in a different time, but I think that Industrialization and Globalization have common themes, one of which is the process of restructuring.  Social, physical, intellectual, and spiritual systems are undergoing significant revision and may some day be consolidated into one theory of all things, or into one elaborate language.  This process is difficult to express visually.  To me, it seems to be happening at a level that direct representation can’t illustrate.  It can only be addressed metaphorically, and this is why the language of geometric abstraction is as vital as ever.
Copperhead full

Copperhead

The drawings that I make are like snap-shots of this elusive, evolving structure.  Many of them are perfect manifestations of a particular moment or situation; but they don’t quite capture everything and so more artwork must be made. The process through which my paintings develop is quite different.  They begin as very complex structures that are labored over; edited, adjusted, and refined until I am fully satisfied with the physical quality, and emotional and intellectual effect of the painting.  I hope they adeptly express our time-- today and for millennia to come." - Roland Thompson Thompson received his M.F.A. in Painting at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, and has exhibited his work nationwide, with shows in Utah, Virginia, New York, Ohio, Maryland, and New Mexico.  His works have shown in museums and have won several awards in juried exhibitions.  For a full listing of Thompson's exhibition history, please click here. To see available works by Roland Thompson, please click here.