Tony Twigg

b. 1953, Australia

Fascination with space as a medium is evident in works by Australian artist Tony Twigg. Often referring to his artworks that are created with enamel paint on timber as “constructions”, his lattice-like works show his attentiveness to the space that surrounds structure. During his last decade spent travelling through Asia, Tony’s work has developed into an engagement with objects, as he describes them, ‘objects found beside the road’. He feels that he can read the language of these objects which crosses the national and cultural boundaries of our region. Most of his works incorporate found objects or found materials and he readily acknowledges the hand of an anonymous collaborator in their making. He sees the truth in his found materials that he says, “are facts that come after the facts of history; they are the facts of life”.

Tony Twigg studied painting in Australia and holds a Master of Arts Degree in Visual Art from the College of Fine Art, Sydney. As his work developed he incorporated elements of film, video and performance into his installations. “Learning to Swim” presented at The Art Gallery of New South Wales and “A Shadow in our Tree” at the Queensland Art Gallery both developed historical narratives that he also told in his short films, notably “A Passion Play” that represented Australia at the Cannes Film Festival. When Tony began exhibiting in Manila in 1996 his work was abstracted. He continues living in both cities, and in 2005 he began exhibiting with TAKSU. Since then his work has been seen in group and solo shows in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.