Thomas Adank

Thomas Adank, born in 1979 in Vevey, Switzerland, completed a BA (Hons.) in Visual Communication & Photography at the École Cantonale D'Art de Lausanne and an MA in Fine Art, Photography at the Royal College of Art in London, where he currently lives and works. His practice is characterized by the unexpected combination of seemingly incompatible materials and strategies. Through…

Thomas Adank, born in 1979 in Vevey, Switzerland, completed a BA (Hons.) in Visual Communication & Photography at the École Cantonale D'Art de Lausanne and an MA in Fine Art, Photography at the Royal College of Art in London, where he currently lives and works.

His practice is characterized by the unexpected combination of seemingly incompatible materials and strategies. Through his training as a photographer, for instance, he developed an interest in the surface texture of images that now extends to the formal concerns of his sculptural practice. This interplay of allusions results in ambiguous, fetishist objects that are seductive yet subtly disquieting.

Adank's work has been exhibited as part of 'Bold Tendencies III,' Hannah Barry Gallery, London (2009); 'The Wonder Room,' Selfridges, presented by Murmurart, London (2009); 'RCA Summer Show,' Royal College of Art, London; 'Nature en Kit,' MUDAC: Museum of Art and Design, Lausanne (2009); 'Session_2_Flags' and 'Session_1' Am Nuden Da, London (2008); 'Exzellenzen, Excellences,' Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek, Bern (2007); 'Journée Photographique de Bienne,' Centre PasquArt, Bienne (2007); 'Descubrimientos,' Madrid Museum of Contemporary Art, Madrid (2007); 'Heikler Mission,' Landesmuseum, Zürich (2007)

He has been awarded a Cultural Grant by the Leenaards Foundation in Lausanne and the IKEA Stiftung Schweiz in Zurich (2008) among other international recognitions.