Tom Burr

Tom Burr (born 1963) is an artist based in New York.

Burr was born in New Haven. His art encompasses installation, photography, sculpture and drawing and references architecture and public space and the psychological and social issues that surround it.^[1] He is also influenced by Minimalism and Conceptual art.^[2]

- Wikipedia

Tom Burr is an artist that was referred to me today after a tutorial. My collection of images, and mostly the use of my corkboard was reminiscent of some of his work and his own use of cork. I found looking at his work interesting, if not a bit challenging. I expected to find direct links between his work and mine but found it to be more puzzling than that. His work usually involves installation and the use of what appears to be cardboard but is in fact plywood. Much like my work, his installations are based on the conposition and relationships built between images and objects. They run parallel in some aspects but I find his work somewhat subdued compared to mine in a way. This is in no way a negative thing, there is just less "sensory overload" more of a "sensory underload" if there is such a thing. His work seems to use everyday objects, and shapes to create some sort of divinity based on composition which I quite apprecciate. Especially in pieces like "Decapitation Sculpture "(left). His other pieces are similar to mine in a less conceptual way.

"Bazaar Life" is a good example of this. The title itself says a lot about the piece. Burr uses magazine pages and record covers to create an abstract modern

composition based on geometric shapes and the women's fashion magazines from the 60's. The outcome is this muted yet overloading piece of work that exhudes 60's design and furniture. This reminds me of my work and the way I like to create energy and relationships between imagery. "Bazaar Life" encourages me to use shape and design aswell as photographic images, although I

am more shy to use these as they have always striked me as more strerile and less plyable. However Burr's piece proves me otherwise.