ESSAY 01:

Tom Hunter has an approach to work that is both serious and considered. Rather than the veil of humour and irony that masks much of contemporary art, Hunter's work is unashamedly artful. Moreover, his position is not solely expressed by nods to the story of art. For equally, the work is socially aware and engaged with the chronicle of our contemporary world.

Hunter inhabits a place of his own creation (much like the Travellers he pictures at times): a place between two metaphors traditionally used to explain artists: artist-as-researcher and artist-as-teacher. In Hunter's oeuvre, there is a rare harmony to be found in the duality of nods to art history plus voiceable convictions. Each of the twin impulses are felt with harmonious gravity. In short, Hunter is not wishy-washy. He is not sitting on the fence. His 'voice' is as deliberate as his work is diligent. And as such, his work is crystal clear and it resonates with a broad range of the contemporary audience.