“Where is the borderline between abstract and figurative? In the artist’s intention or the viewer’s perception? Or can the distinction be made in terms of objective features of the finished work?

The questions are raised by Tom de Freston’s 2D work from the last nine months, a generous selection of over a hundred of which were exhibited in May and June at Stratford Gallery, where he was Artist in Residence. They were in roughly chronological sequence, with a score or so of big paintings interspersed by smaller framed preliminary sketches and free-standing sequences. Tom says he has recently moved into figurative from abstract paintings, but the signs of his concerns as an abstract artist survive and in many ways give a special power to his representations.”read more