Tess Williams

There is an underlying purity to be found in Tess Williams’ resolutely contemporary conception of new abstraction. Yet, the surfaces of her paintings reveal something more layered: a gritty surface, exposed staples, the cutting and reconstructing of canvas and in some works delicate stitching. Traces of the artist’s mark lie
visible on tactile planes in areas of peeling and scraped away pigment, imprinted marks, and calligraphic lines of pigment. Frayed and raw canvas are artfully combined with monochromatic areas of grey and black as well
as lighter tones that refer to the human body. In each work the artist plays with the sculptural qualities of deconstructed canvas, pushing the medium further by creating a newly topographic surface.
Williams holds an MA, Fine Art, Distinction, Central Saint Martins, London, BA (Hons) Fine Art DeMontfort University, Leicester as well as a Foundation Diploma, Central Saint Martins. Honours include the Young Contemporary Talent Purchase Prize for the Ingram Collection, London, 2018. Key collections include Belevcar Patrimonio, Valencia, Spain; The Corinthia, London; DeMontfort University, Leicester; Grosvenor House Park Lane, London; Hogan Lovells International LLP as well as various international private collections.