Wellington born and bred Barry Thomas shows excerpts of his New and Old art and film work spanning over 30 years. The show offers a great opportunity to catch up with this difficult to pin down artist and film maker.

Trained at both the National  Film Unit as a film cameraman and in fine arts at Ilam School of Fine Arts his oeuvre spans the infamous Cabbage Patch  (the planting of a cabbage patch in central Wellington… As a work of art!) to the invention and production of hundreds of haiku short films for TV here and in the UK called Radical Art Advertisements (®adZ).

For over twenty years he has also been photographing the cuba district – that he (re)named/branded (recently highlighted in the film on Peter Mcleavey)  and an intriguing series of often humourous photographs of signs  shot all over the globe. “I often just burst out laughing… at photographs of signs”

Most recent work issues from Thomas’ interest in his own brand of portraits… peoples’ Frowns,  showing here in painted and photographic forms.

The show represents Thomas’ first exhibition in his home town for well over a decade… “a fine opportunity to catch up with old friends after four years in the UK and three in the Coromandel… that’s seven years in other wildernesses!” Other works get political and local… tackling gentrification of the Cuba district and even American Wastelines! You will have to see them to “get” them.

Thomas was recently  the subject of a Radio New Zealand Spectrum documentary following his week long annual paint making and painting school in Thames. He will be offering paint making classes daily 15-20 sept. during the week long show. Please CALL TO BOOK 0277473748 (gold coin).

“Striking and Genius” Fabio Ferzetti (Il Messagero – Rome)

“Emancipatory, transformative… a power in and of itself to move and inspire” Chris Trotter (The independent)

“Our own Living treasure” Brent Efford (Valley Voice)

“OLD NEW BORROW BLUES”

Thistle Hall
293 Cuba Street
Wellington

14-21 September 2009
10am – 5pm daily

Opening 6pm Monday 14^th Sept.