Thom is regarded as an important figure in contemporary performance art in South Africa having presented seminal workshops and exhibitions such as ‘Rites of passage/ Rites of Fealty’ (2008), ‘RE/Action: Performance Art Now’ (2007), ‘Personal Geographies: the body, action and context’ (2006), ‘The Minotaur Series 12′ at the Johannesburg Art Gallery and numerous performances all over the country, from Soweto to Cape Town (2000 -). He has also presented performances internationally at various biennials and group exhibitions in Italy, Spain, Bangladesh, Slovenia and Belgrade, amongst others. These actions do not attempt to establish something as coherent as ‘meaning’, but rather, to create (syn)energy and aesthetic possibility through the body.

Performance does not have a long history in contemporary South African ‘Fine art’ but within other local traditions performance can be viewed as interwoven with the history of much of Africa and Southern Africa. Ceremonial and spiritual rites have long formed an integral part of Africa’s fertile cultural history. Thom’s aesthetic interests extend into the study of African ceremonies and rituals that have played a significant role in shaping contemporary South African culture. However Thom is first and foremost and artist.

Click on one of the links below to view examples of the works or simply use the page menu on the right to navigate your way around the site.

This page has the following sub pages.

• Licked Colony (2011)
• Thank you (2011)
• Fountain (Date Withheld)
• Container (2011)
• Recital (2010/11)
• Host 1 (2010)
• Biblioclast: Action with Afrikaans/Dutch Dictionary (Rotterdam 2010)
• Figurehead (2010)
• Incantation series (2010 – 2012)
• Vox Populis/ Vox Dei (2008/9)
• Come in peace/ Go to pieces (2008)
• Traffic (2008)
• Twilight (2008)
• The Theory of Gravity (2006)
• Outpost Series (2004-6)
• Other performances
• Bind/Ontbind Series (2003)