Tomma Abts & Abstract Art - OK Yes, Knock Out - No.
Arts:
In 2006 the Turner Prize gained it's first ever female winner. The artist who achieved this feat hails from Germany and is called is Tomma Abts. In order to carry off the Turner Prize - in the final, Tomma had to overcome three notable artists .
In no particular order of importance these were - sculptress Rebecca Warren who was the fancied hot favourite with many bookies, "billboard artist" Mark Titchner - and finally film maker Phil Collins...(No not him of Genesis fame!).
In the end good fortune - and the judges smiled on Tomma Abts. Tomma won 25,000 - surely a welcome addition to her bank account - and the prize itself. However the exposure Tomma Abts will receive from winning is worth much more than the cash - or so it's often said. I tend to agree.
Well OK - which medium doesTomma Abts work with? Well - she's a painter working in the main with acrylics - creating abstract art. This would tend to go against the form of previous Turner Prize winners who have tended not to be painters. However it was precisely the painting of Tomma Abts that gained her original selection. Tomma held exhibitions in Switzerland - Kunsthalle Basel and the UK - London's "Greengrassi"
The Tate Gallery has lauded her "rigorous and consistent approach to painting" .Furthermore this prestigous gallery comments on the "intimate and compelling canvases" of Tomma Abts and how she "enriches the language of abstract art"....I think they like her - a lot!
With such praise heaped upon her head it's no surprise to me that she won the prize. However I actually feel that Tomma's abstract artwork isn't "knock out" but it definitely is OK.
Tomma seems fond of constructing her images by repeating endlessly varying geometric base shapes or elements. Hardly original - one would think however, despite my initial cynicism - I have found images by Tomma Abts to be very evocative and quite memorable.
Curiously - every work by Tomma Abts is said to measure precisely 48 x 38 cms...I'm told that there's nothing particularly significant about these dimensions. She just likes that size!
The titles of art works by Tomma Abts - such as "Veeke" are said to be simply lifted from a dictionary of German first names! Well why not? It beats just giving her paintings numbers!
There is no doubt that Tomma Abts makes abstract art that is comprehensible to the general public. This something that is in marked contrast to some other winners of the Turner Prize. Furthermore a picture by Tomma Abts could not possibly offend anyone save the most feeble-minded of souls!
In the final analysis I think it's quite possible that Tomma Abts could develop into a household "art name" - a bit like Damian Hirst - before she shuffles off this mortal coil...On the other hand she could simply vanish in a thrice, without trace, from our minds and our media. As I see it - exactly the same reasons could result in either outcome.
About The Author: Flo Cordon worships Art. Read her stimulating articles on 2006 Turner Prize Winner Tomma Abts. Flo represents a whole new perspective on Abstract Art.
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