Tom Chambers

photo-eye Gallery is thrilled to announce Hearts and Bones, a mid-career retrospective spanning more than twenty-five years of work by award-winning photographer Tom Chambers. Featuring work from nine different photographic projects,Hearts and Bones complements the recent release of Chambers’ third monograph, also titled Hearts and Bones, released in early October by Unicorn Publishing Group. An exhibition opening, artist reception, and book signing event will take place on Friday, November 30 from 5–7 pm during the Last Friday Art Walk in Santa Fe’s Railyard Arts District. Hearts and Bones will remain on view through Saturday, January 5, 2019.

Tom Chambers is a master storyteller. Employing Magic Realism, Chambers’ complex single-setting narratives convincingly insert fantastical elements into our everyday existence. In this world, people share a kindred connection with animals, spoken words fall as floral blooms, and the metaphysical nature of light reveals sacred spectacles. Using imagery from the artist’s travels to locations such as Iceland, Italy, and Mexico, Chambers’ images appear otherworldly. The scenes are evocative, yielding feeling of delight, wonder, and trepidations as Chambers explores themes of transformation, vitality, mythology, and identity. An early adopter of digital media, Chambers builds his improbable scenes by seamlessly integrating elements from multiple photographs into a single image.

“Since I began creating photomontage, storytelling has been part of all my series and something that has engaged the viewer. My hope has been that the viewer will look at my images, each of which contains an unfinished story, and then create his own interpretation of what's seen. Magic realism has been a tool for me to create a strong narrative. I use magic realism to peak viewer's interests compelling them to take a second look because something looks different or improbable; I really want to raise questions in the viewer's mind. I like to say that instead of taking a photo, I am making a photo. Many of my inspirations for my montage photography come from musings or dreams, which I refer to as improbable dreams.” – Tom Chambers