Tom De Freston - I Saw This

Tom de Freston is a British artist and writer who creates multimedia art that explores themes of trauma, humanity, and intimacy. He graduated from Cambridge University in 2007 and has exhibited his work in over twenty shows. His debut non-fiction book, Wreck, was published in 2022, and he was chosen to illustrate the twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of David Almonds Skellig. I Saw This is a collaboration between de Freston, filmmaker Mark Jones, and Dr. Ali Souleman, who was introduced to de Freston in 2017. The paintings and mixed-media works explore Souleman's experiences of terrorism, displacement, and war in Syria and ruminate on how art can represent suffering and terror. The collaborative process involves de Freston describing the paintings to Souleman through words and touch, which Souleman brings fresh meaning to by reading them in new ways. Mark Jones captures these interactions in striking photographs and film footage. The book includes contributions from Habda Rashid, Yasmina Floyer, and Matt Price, who shed light on the challenges and significance of incorporating elements from real life into art. De Freston's art is rooted in empathy, and I Saw This is a culmination of this, successfully translating Souleman's world of memory and metaphor.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 02 October 2023
Publisher: Anomie Publishing

Tom de Freston, a British artist and writer, was born in 1983 and currently resides and works in Oxford. His diverse artistic portfolio encompasses paintings, films, and performance, delving into profound themes such as trauma, humanity, and intimacy. Through his captivating visual narratives, de Freston draws inspiration from a wide range of sources, including literature, art history, and social issues.

After graduating from Cambridge University in 2007, de Freston has showcased his work in over twenty exhibitions to date. His literary prowess is evident through his debut non-fiction book, "Wreck," published by Granta in 2022, with his second book set to be released in 2024. Collaborating with his wife, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, de Freston co-authored "Julia and the Shark" (Hachette, 2021), which received critical acclaim and won the prestigious Waterstones Children's Gift of the Year. The book was also shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Children's Writing on Nature and Conservation.

In 2023, de Freston was honored to illustrate the twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of David Almond's "Skellig." The project "I Saw This" emerged as a collaborative effort between de Freston, filmmaker Mark Jones, and Dr. Ali Souleman. Souleman, a Syrian academic who survived a bomb explosion in Damascus in 1996, which left him blind, shared his personal experiences with de Freston. The resulting paintings and mixed-media works delve into Souleman's experiences of terrorism, displacement, and war in Syria, exploring how art can convey the profound impact of suffering and terror.

De Freston's artistic approach is characterized by his use of disembodied mouths, hands, and feet, as well as circles that evoke a sense of discomfort, reminiscent of eyes and eye sockets. In his Mirror paintings, which stand upright in black boxes, de Freston incorporates ash, screws, thick glue, dirt, and bits of wood into the canvas. These elements add texture and depth to the works, creating a visceral and immersive experience for the viewer.

Through his art, de Freston invites us to reflect on the complexities of human experiences and the power of artistic expression to convey the unspeakable. His work challenges us to engage with the ongoing conflicts and struggles of our world, promoting empathy and understanding.

Dimension: 265 x 215 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781910221501