Tom Phillips: Recent Updates: February-March 2004, Vol. 5, No. 2

Featured this edition:

PORTRAIT : CHARLES SAUMAREZ SMITH : Portrait painting makes its way to Prime Time: Filmmaker Bruno Wollheim captured the full process of artist and sitter, the latter (former director of the National Portrait Gallery) attempting to be painted by the former.

VELLINGER MEDAL : An artifact from Collam's landmark modernist novel, "Unhaunted Comma", rendered by the artist in bronze.

CURRENT and UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

14th February - 28th May
THE BOOK SHOW: An exhibition of British Artists who use the book as a metaphor and/or object.
The Wordsworth Trust: Grasmere (see WT website)
Curated by Simon Morely and Tanya Peixoto; fully illustrated catalogue available.

Opening 14th February (for extended period)
WORKS BY TOM PHILLIPS
New Moment Gallery: Hilandarska 14, 11000 Belgrade
Contact gallery for further details and hours (see NMG website)

2nd March - 20th June
WE ARE THE PEOPLE: POSTCARDS FROM THE COLLECTION OF TOM PHILLIPS
National Portrait Gallery: St. Martin's Place
London WC2H 0HE; Tel 020 7306 0055 (see NPG website)
Related displays at the Horniman and Pitt Rivers Museums to be announced. Illustrated catalogue available.

17th April - 22nd May
WORKS BY TOM PHILLIPS
Harborne Gallery: 5 Vine Terrace, High Street
Harborne, Birmingham B17 9PU
Tel: 0121 427 9695

29th April - 16th May
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF PORTRAIT PAINTERS ANNUAL EXHIBITION
The Mall Galleries: 17 Carlton House Terrace
London SW1Y 5BD
Open daily 10am to 5pm.

2nd May - 20th June
TOM PHILLIPS AT SHANDY HALL
Shandy Hall, Coxwold
N. Yorkshire YO61 4AD (see SH website)
Tel: 01347 868465
Open every day except Saturday 11am until 4.30pm

17th June - 30th June 2004
CAMBERWELL ARTSWEEK: 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Details TBA

TOM PHILLIPS AT LE GARAGE
Lourgues, Provence
Dates and details TBA

Tom's dance card is so full you'd think it were debutante season. There are many exhibitions to choose from -- group and solo.

This edition of tomphillips.co.uk offers a look at a little-known medal from 1994, drawing from H. W. K. Collam's famed novel of 1943.

Also, site photos from Tom's breathtaking marble installations at Westminster Cathedral, taken during the editor's holiday trip to London (so nice to get out of the country).

Did you happen to see Tom on Channel 4 last month? Bruno Wollheim's superb documentary offered a rare look into the work -- and quiet drama -- of portrait painting. We've already had inqueries about availability on DVD. No word as yet, but we'll let you know.

The high point for this editor, however, was receiving the postcard announcement for his appearance on The Art Show.

Tom's fascination with postcards is well-documented. Just as he delights at finding himself in the beloved card-catalogue at the local library, it must be equally thrilling every time his work appears on a printed and circulated postcard.

I'd even presume (though I'm not, on this cold late-winter evening, able to dig through the archives and corroborate) that there have been a handful of postcards depicting Tom himself.

So why am I excited about the postcard from Channel 4? It's the posture, the blur, the obfuscation.

In my judgement, it couldn't be more perfect. Such a story! Tom has become his own Irma!

I ran this past Bill Hurrell, who encouraged me to maintain (and enjoy) my enthusiasm, but to leave it to the readers to decide. Canadians are so sensible.