Tommy Rider

Clown Car

The “other” in horror is the monster. They are non-normative, strange, and weird. This alienation removes the human aspects of the othered and they are a stand-in caricature. Here, they are normalized, and therefore, humanized. The monotony creates a human connection and empathy, no longer othered while still odd and unusual.

Abandoned

This photograph is a documentation of a local building. It is boarded up next to shops with active business. Buildings are a memoir of the public and an act of worship. This space has been reclaimed by both the overgrown backyard and the tags on the walls. It is a direct reflection of the people while no figure is present. 

Artist Biography

Rider is a fourth-year student in the concurrent BFA/BEd program, planning to concentrate on Art Education. They enjoy exploring new mediums and combining different practices in their work. He has a soft spot for two-dimensional pieces but enjoys the fusion of found objects and mixed media. 

Artist Statement

His body of work has an emphasis on “the other” and what that means to him on a personal and social scale. With a love of all things faux haunted and uncanny and also the foolish nature of puppetry and costume design, Tommy works with both a very dark and colourful atmosphere. Recently, this has been the exploration of monsters, horror, and campy costumes.