Carissa Farrell | Introduction to Aspect | A catalogue accompanying the solo exhibition at Solomon Fine Art | 2018
Aspect continues Tom Climent’s exploration of the diminishing boundaries between landscape and abstraction by travelling further into fictional terrains of hybrid mountains, hills, uplands and plateaus. In previous groupings these features of the temperate Irish countryside seemed in harmony with Climent’s colourful and architectural interventions. This selection for the Solomon suggests a moment of separation between these two elements, a kind of fission that triggers the release of energy into the atmosphere. This activated geography is a less hospitable place that radiates arid heat and heightened artificial colour. Paintings that seemed clement before such as Gimle and Andlang appear to have been scorched in the company of newer works such as Follower and New Life.
Climent describes New Life as the centre piece for the show and it could be the culprit underpinning the cause of cataclysmic change in other works. It captures the detonation of an explosive lift off or landing, of one of Climent’s hybrid peak structures. This mountain is wider, more jagged and its somewhat ungainly appearance is emphasised by the dusty matter billowing out from underneath, possibly from the impact. Climent’s facility for painting renders the powerful downdraft sublimely, sending clouds of purple and orange powdery material floating upwards. Set on a fertile hill-top the contrast between the pastoral location and its strange geometric modifications is now stark, signifying rupture or, less brutally, a leave-taking. Either way it has pushed the narrative closer to science fiction and loosens the painting conventions that previously tethered Climent within the limits of landscape painting tradition.
Similar in narrative to New Life, Magic Mountain pulls itself away from its hill-top position more successfully spilling expanses of orange and blue paint that are pulled and scraped down into a dark pool of ultramarine. The depth of field here is deliberately confusing invoking the viewers sense of spatial perception and triggering an unconscious impulse to enter the virtual world of the painting to investigate the nature of its three dimensionality. A conjoined set of mismatched dwelling structures with elevations of pinks, browns and green are set into the mountain at its highest point. Whether by design or because of the mound’s upward thrust they lean perilously forward and echo the awkward posture borne in New Life.
Follower takes an epic view of Climent’s otherworldly landscape and bathes it in a luminous array of hot orange, lilac and pink. A mountain hidden from view casts a long purple shadow in the middle ground suggesting nightfall arriving. Its effect is to deepen the perspective and heightens the drama of the searing heat and golden light. The surface of Follower is rich in textures and layers of painting that remain visible through one another. The result is a shimmering work of unique depth and life.
The abundant poetry in Climent’s painting is partly a result of his use of the traditional and romantic format of landscape painting combined with the sheer visual pleasure in his rich colour palette. Embedded in these conventions are the heretofore mentioned strange and eccentric elements that give away his self-critical processes of checks and balances. What stands out is his carefully mined and wonderful glossary of titles for his works, with gems such as Gimle, Alfeim and Andlang. Giving titles to paintings could be a hard-won phenomenon of concrete poetry. It is no elementary task to take the topographical shape, onomatopoeic sound and etymological origin of a word and somehow match those elements with each other and a tangible work of art. It is an unusual and appreciated delight to enjoy the titles of these works while enjoying the works themselves. This attention to detail testifies to Climent’s commitment and value as an artist, as much as his accomplishment and ability to paint.