Denyse Thomasos – just beyond

Description

“Denyse Thomasos forged a form of abstraction that depicted the unspeakable and unimaginable confinement in slave ships and prisons.” – Adrienne Edwards, New York Times

This is the first ever retrospective publication on Trinidadian Canadian painter Denyse Thomasos (1964-2012). Thomasos’ often monumental canvases with overlapping gridded lines, fluid drips of paint and geometric architectural objects challenge the limits of minimalism and abstraction, while also embodying her dedication to social justice. Through pattern, scale and repetition, Thomasos conveyed the vastness of events such as the Transatlantic slave trade and mass incarceration, without exploiting the images of those affected by them. Thomasos writes: “like a carpenter, I rebuild the fragmented psychology of slave culture, revealing its fragile foundation.”

A series of essays addresses Thomasos’ dissection of art historical traditions; her interest in global architectures and physical structures of power and resistance; her focus on the history of slavery; and her commitment to exposing narratives of systemic racism. – Press Release: Art Gallery of Ontario

This catalogue coincides with the exhibition “Denyse Thomasos: just beyond” held at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) from October 8, 2022 – February 20, 2023, and held at the Remai Modern from April 15 – September 4, 2023.

Published by

Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and DelMonico Books

Essays by

Renée van der Avoird, Sally Frater, Michelle Jacques, Adrienne Edwards, Marsha Pearce, and Denise Ryner.

ISBN

978-1-63681-081-2

Publication Year

2022

Number of Pages

Hardcover, 180