Head of Art

Thomas is the Head of Art at Falmouth University. Thomas situates his artistic research across the field of art practice, medical humanities and the social sciences. His artwork explores methods of making manifest equivalent experiences of disorder through methods associated with cinematographic projection and performance, in the context of installation art. 

Thomas's art practice serves to strengthen the research, which currently exists in medical fields surrounding the concept of disorder and diagnosis. In doing so the artistic research aims to provide health professionals and the general public with accessible information about disorder and diagnosis that can be used to plan services, support research studies and public health campaigns to reduce stigma, increase self-efficacy and generate improvements in mental health.  

Contact details

Qualifications

Qualifications

Year Qualification Awarding body
2015 PhD Fine Art University of Plymouth
2016 PGCAP University of Plymouth
2010 MA Fine Art University of Plymouth
1999 BA Fine Art University of Plymouth

Honors and awards

Year Description
2015 Fine art residency award, Ocean Studios, Plymouth.

Membership of external committees

Association for Medical Humanities

Research Interests

Research interests and expertise

  • 2022: Publication journal contribution; "Frontiers in Psychology", (2022: 23-24) Department of Neurology, Medical University Vienna.
  • 2022: "Dialogues of disorder - a conversation with Mel and Nicky" film screening at the Centre of Medicine, Humanities and Biotech, Linkoping University, Sweden.
  • 2021: Plymouth Contemporary Judge 
  • 2020: Film screening and paper - “Dialogues of disorder – a conversation with Mel and Nicky; understanding obsessive compulsive disorder and self-injury through filmic projection. Making Space Association Medical Humanities, Limerick University, Ireland.
  • 2020: ECR Research strand leader for Arts and Medical humanities, UOP.
  • 2020: Seminar and test screening of the film “Understanding Disorder”, at the Art, Aesthetics, and the Medical and Health Humanities Conference, University of Kent, Aesthetics research centre.
  • 2019: Conference chair: “Stereotypes & storytelling, research strategies for arteducation”, ASP Katowice, Poland
  • 2019: Paper: “Understanding Obsessive-compulsive disorder, through artistic intervention" Existential Medical Humanities, Centre for Studies in PracticalKnowledge, Södertörn University, Sweden.
  • 2019: Conference paper and film screening: “Body as object: equivalence through enactment”. Material Medicine: Objects and Bodies, Association for MedicalHumanities, University of Plymouth
  • 2018: Conference paper: “Known, (Unknowns)”, presented as part of the second Parallax forum 'Art, Society and Political Correctness
  • 2018: Exhibition: "Prawo Serii: Agency of Error”. Strefart Gallery, Tychy, Polan
  • 2017: Artist in Residence - Katowice Academy of Fine Art, Poland
  • 2017: Conference paper, ‘Research through Practice, issues of the art academy’, Katowice Academy of Fine Art, Poland, presented as part of the “First ParallaxForum”
  • 2017: ‘Appropriate Movement’, Film screening, Exeter Art Week, Spacex Gallery, Exeter
  • 2016: ‘Pouching’, Film screening, Plymouth Art Weekender, Mills Bakery, RoyalWilliam Yard, Plymouth
  • 2014: Conference paper, ‘Trans Remembering, or Trans Memory’, Trans-art festival, Berlin
  • 2014: Publication - ‘Trans Remembering, or Trans Memory’, Else Journal.
  • 2013: Artist in Residence’– Plymouth Arts Centre, Plymouth

 

Research Topics

  • Equivalence
  • Mimicry
  • Medical Humanities
  • Social sciences
  • Disorder
  • Diagnosis

Research Students

Current research students

Sally Charlesworth. A research into the value of practice led workshops within the primary art arts curriculum.University of Plymouth

Jane Stephens, ‘Weaving a Story and Spinning a Yarn. In telling our stories, does the use of textiles, and weave, offer an added dimension to both the telling of the story as well as the outcome?’ Falmouth University.

Jeanne Dodds, ‘Performative Images: Climate Change Envisioned for Other-Than-Human Species and Systems’. Falmouth University.

Rosanna Martin, ‘Apparatus and the Co-Creation Studio; how might the role of custom-made tools and equipment strengthen and build maker communities?’  Falmouth University.

Previous student supervision

Laura Hopes. Being Vulnerable; distances of the Sublime Anthopocene. University of Plymouth

Karen Abadie: Humanity Undone – a practice-led enquiry into self-injury. University of Plymouth

Number of research students supervised to completion

1

Teaching

Areas of teaching

  • Projection
  • sound
  • Expanded Sculpture
  • Installation practices

Courses taught

  • BA(Hons) Fine Art
  • BA(Hons) Drawing

Professional Engagement

Independent professional practice

2021- 2025 – External Examiner for Fine Art,  Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, University of Arts, Singapore.

Engagement with professional associations and societies

  • Association for Medical Humanities 
  • British society of Aesthetics 
  • Fellow HEA
  • Wellcome Trust Early-Career Award Committee Member