Thomas Glencross

Jewellery & Metal Design BDes (Hons)

Contemporary vanitas in the form of bronze sculptures and bright paintings.

About

The Vanitas personified death for 17th century protestants, warning against a life of vanity and self-absorption they helped the people of the time to develop a knowledgeable relationship with their mortality. Today death has become a taboo subject, one shrouded in ideas of mourning and despair. Through the concept of ‘human terror management theory’, I seek to create work that deciphers death and mortality and helps a contemporary audience develop a better relationship with their mortality. My bronze sculptures and paintings  look at obvious imagery of death and violence with colour that helps exhibit emotions normally suppressed around this topic. I hope my work will start a discussion around death in the current age.

Sika Stag Skull bronze sculpture

Bronze sculpture of a stag head

1 of 3 bronze sculptures

Autopsy painting

Close up of a painting called the Autopsy which depicts a doctor.

Close up from my Autopsy painting which measure 4ft by 3ft.

Close up of antler sculpture.

Close up of antler

A close up showing the detail of my antler sculpture.

My work will be available for purchase at degree show and any questions or further enquiries can email me or message my Instagram page.

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