Gwennan Thomas
My practice is studio-based and process driven, working primarily with painting which sits between abstraction and figuration. The work explores fluidity in the context of memory, bicultural identity and language. I paint on a variety of surfaces and often make my own paints, building a body of research on materiality and the tactile. I am
interested in showing works in alternative formats and often play with how they are shown or grouped together. The paintings have a strong focus on colour and use framing mechanisms and repetitive motifs derived from film scenes, personal memories and the built environment.
Born in France, Lives and works in London
EDUCATION
2023-24 Associate Artist Programme, Open School East
2016-18 Royal College of Art, MA Painting
2008-11 Wimbledon College of Art, University of the Arts London, BA Hons Fine Art: Painting
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2018 THAW, In collaboration with Camden Council, 18 Malden Rd, London, UK
2013 Monday 24th June “Artist of the Day”, Flowers gallery, Cork St, London
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 Women's Day, Small Works CIC & Outhouse Gallery, London
2026 Analogue, Curated by Sarah Elson, Hypha HQ, London
2025 Outsiders Arts Club, ASC The Handbag Factory, London
2025 Miniature Masters, Canal Boat Contemporary, London
2025 Shortlisted for the Lido Open, The Lido Stores, Margate
2025 Abstract Encounters, The Ropewalk Gallery, Barton Upon Humber
2025 Aspire, Aspex Portsmouth
2025 If Heaven Falls, The Lido Stores, Margate
2025 Half Life, Pictorem Gallery, London
2024 Longlisted for BEEP Painting Prize, Elysium Gallery, Swansea, Wales
2024 Shortlisted for the Lido Open, The Lido Stores, Margate
2024 A Lovers Churchyard, Camberwell Crypt, London
2024 We Went Outside And It's The Entire Earth, Open School East, Margate
2024 Waverton Art Prize, Boisdales Canary Wharf, London
2024 Works on Paper 6, Blue Shop Gallery (online), London
2023 Painting Open, No Format Gallery, London,
2023 Awagami International Print Competition, Inbe Art Space, Yoshinogawa, Japan
2023 Drawing Open, No Format Gallery, London
2022 Colours, Stone Space Gallery, Curated by Matthew Macaulay, London
2022 Colour Flex, Terrace Gallery, Curated by Matthew Macaulay, London
2021 Winter Salon, Glass Cloud Gallery, Camden People’s Theatre, London
2021 Gift, Selected by Laurence Noga, APT Gallery, London, UK
2021 On Paper, Curated by Classroom Coventry, Paper Gallery, Manchester, UK
2019 A Hand Stuffed Mattress, Curated by Karl Bielik, Terrace Gallery, London, UK
2019 Tall Tales of Transparent Things, Curated by Now Curation, Fitzrovia Gallery, London
2018 Papercuts, curated by Kristian Day, Saatchi Gallery, London
2018 Royal College of Art MA Painting Degree Show, London
2018 Thumbnails, Hockney Gallery, Royal College of Art, London
2017 Papercuts, curated by Kristian Day, Tripp Gallery, London
2017 Love, Peace and Happiness, Curated by Kristian Day, Menier Gallery, London, UK
2017 Whip, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2016 Window, Pluspace Coventry & Artists Workhouse, Studley, UK
2015 The Seed of its Opposite, Gallery North, Kelvin College, Glasgow, UK
2015 Citrus Lush Bongo Salon, Tan Like That, Chalk Farm, London, UK
2015 Contemporary British Abstraction, SE9 Container Gallery, London, UK
2014 Infinity: One, Dalla Rosa Gallery, London, UK
2014 Pride Show, Take Me Home Projects, London UK
2013 First Come First Served, Lion & Lamb Gallery, London, UK
2013 Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow & Blue, Small is Beautiful, Flowers Gallery East, London
2013 Exchange Project “Oblique Exchange”, curated by Claire Undy, APT Gallery, London
2013 Take Me Home, Co-curated by Chris Ilankovan and Kybor Carlsen, Take Me Home Projects, London, UK
2013 Other Objects, Co-curated by Caterina Lewis and Gwennan Thomas, Lion & Lamb Gallery, London, UK
2013 Form From Form, curated by Benjamin Bridges & Michael O’ Reilly, Matthews Yard, Croydon, UK
2012 First Come First Served, Lion and Lamb Gallery, London, UK
2012 Plane Space, curated by Dan Roach, Worcester Cathedral, Worcester, UK
2012 Abstract Critical Newcomer Awards, King’s Place Gallery, London, UK
2011 Miles/Km, La Tabacalera, Madrid, Spain
2011 Close Quarters, Vyner St Gallery, London, UK
2010 Panic Wagon, Fold Studios, London, UK
2009 The Still Image Captures Something Else, Curated by Richard Layzell, Xindanwei Gallery Shanghai, China
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2016 Mask, Co-curated with Matthew Macaulay as part of Pluspace Projects with Coventry University, Coventry, UK
2015 Citrus Lush Bongo, Co-curated with Dominic Letschka and TMH projects at Tan Like That, London
2013 Other Objects, Co-curated with Caterina Lewis, Lion & Lamb Gallery, Hoxton, London
2012 Exhibit 3, Co-curated with Alice Cretney, Matthews Yard, Croydon, UK
AWARDS
2025 Shortlisted for the Miniature Masters Prize
2025 Longlisted for the John Moores Painting Prize
2025 Shortlisted for the Lido Open, Margate
2024 Longlisted for BEEP Painting Prize, Elysium Gallery, Swansea, Wales
2024 Shortlisted for the Lido Open, Margate
2024 Shortlisted for the Waverton Art Prize
2021 Longlisted for the Contemporary British Painting Prize
2013 Selected for Flowers Gallery "Artist of the Day" by Anthony Daley
2012 Selected for Abstract Critical Newcomer Awards by Gary Wragg
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