Tony Fomison, the New Zealand artist, was born on 12 July 1939. He was a prominent artist but I have to say not many of his images appeal to me. The one above is a typical one. Somewhat grotesque, don't you think? Most of his works are angst personified.
Although Fomison was a pakeha he immersed himself so much in Pasifika culture that he started to call himself a Samoan and even had the traditional tattoo done – which is most painful and not very often adopted by European people.
He originally trained as a sculptor but then turned to painting which is what he is known for. The arty experts say his work is full of symbolism and is about an icon concerned with human fate – typical arty farty language if you ask me.
He was the traditional artist rebel outlaw type – if that isn't too much of a contradiction in terms. Dick Frizzell (another New Zealand artist) said (in his book It's All About the Image about Fomison that "knowing him wasn't easy" – some typical Kiwi understatement here, I think. He was only 51 when he died.
I would have to agree, very dark and not my style.
ReplyDeleteGloomy and moody; for some it's good stuff. For me, it's interesting to look around it; but it's not something I'd put on my wall either. Love your posts, Carol.
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