Tom Hallet at M HKA – Art Viewer

Artist: Tom Hallet

Exhibition title: The Boar and the Shepherd

Curated by: Liliane Dewachter

Venue: M HKA, Antwerp, Belgium

Date: August 8 – 27, 2023

Photography: Ilse Raps / all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and M HKA, Antwerp

Note: Exhibition’s text by Koi Persyn is available here

For INBOX (M HKA) Belgian artist Tom Hallet presents a new installation consisting of a series of thirteen drawings and a sculpture, in which two primordial gods battle it off against each other, or… together. They change shape in an eternal cycle of destruction and re-creation, like shapeshifters, navigating a pitch-black atmosphere on the eve of a catastrophic event. A boar and a shepherd, both existing in similar surroundings but are opposites. One is wild, the other tries to keep order. But at the end of the day, who looks after the others’ safety?

In a wilful way, Hallet interweaves queer theory and generational trauma. Using a world-building full of complex symbols, he reaches for a recognisable, but never fully reliable, humanity.

Tom Hallet (°1990, Brussels) has a multidisciplinary practice and mainly makes drawings and sculptures, two media that he connects in a constant dialogue with each other and with the viewer. By building a visual world in which mythology, queerness and personal chronicles merge, Hallet examines history (as we think we know it) and tries to introduce an inclusive narrative.

Hallet graduated with a Master in Fine Arts at Luca_School of Arts (2014). After graduating, he was selected for Currents, Marres Maastricht (2015) and Prijs van de Vrienden v/h SMAK (2016). Hallet is, together with three other artists, the founder of SOIL Collective (2016-2020), a curatorial platform. The collective has curated 10 exhibitions, including Tom Hallet’s first solo show titled Sincerely Yours (2019). He participated in his first gallery show at STEMS Gallery (2020), Brussels, and was selected for a residency at Morpho (fka AAIR), Antwerp (2020-2021). He is a studio assistant to Laure Prouvost, and has worked for her for over three years.

After taking part in Generation Brussels (2020), during the Brussels Gallery Weekend, he presented his work at Morpho and took part in Regenerate, a group exhibition at Wiels (2021), Brussels. Two drawings were purchased by the Flemish government for the M-Leuven collection. He completed a residency at M-Leuven (2022), which resulted in a solo presentation and a performance at the museum.

In 2023, Hallet presented his work at Plus.One Gallery & Sofie van de Velde Gallery, and currently has a solo exhibition at INBOX, M HKA, in august. In September 2023 Tom Hallet will have a solo exhibition at Pizza Gallery, Antwerp, and programmed by Netwerk Aalst, Aalst, for a duo-show in March 2024, together with Antonia Brown.