Important Notice

Roy Thomas was born in Kerala in 1966. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the College of Fine Arts, in Thiruvananthapuram there in 1990, followed by a Master’s degree from the College of Arts, New Delhi, in 1993. In the same year, he received a National Research Grant from the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, and in 1997, he won a junior fellowship from HRD Ministry of the Government of India.

Deeply affected by...
Roy Thomas was born in Kerala in 1966. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the College of Fine Arts, in Thiruvananthapuram there in 1990, followed by a Master’s degree from the College of Arts, New Delhi, in 1993. In the same year, he received a National Research Grant from the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, and in 1997, he won a junior fellowship from HRD Ministry of the Government of India.

Deeply affected by socio-political issues, the artist is known for his realist representations of public life and angst. When he first exhibited his works in the mid 1990s, he sought to find a new medium to express this message. He chose to use tarpaulin as his surface, converting large tarpaulin sheets into platforms for his experimental expressions of crisis. Thomas was perturbed by the daily politics of the country, which he felt led to unnecessary suffering and turmoil, particularly for the innocent masses. He painted what he perceived as the means and ends of tormentors, in the form of militants, who eventually fell prey to their own deeds.

As his artistic philosophy gradually evolved, Thomas became attracted to the realms of mediatic realism, where dispossessed people became the objects of his fascination. His more recent paintings include images of children rescued from forced labour, and babies from hostile conditions.

The artist’s solo exhibitions include ‘View from the Other End’ at Arushi Arts, New Delhi, and Kitab Mahal, Mumbai, in 2007, and ‘Projected Memories ... Fading Realities’ at Arushi Arts, New Delhi, and the Seagull Arts & Media Resource Center, Kolkata, in 2007. He has actively participated in several group exhibitions and curated shows in India and abroad from the year 1988. His works are housed in many public and private collections including those of the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; the Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre, Chennai; and the Lalit Kala Akademi, Kerala. The artist lives and works in Kerala.

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