▶ STOCKROOM HIGHLIGHT: TANMAYA BINGHAM ‘AMALGAMATION’

Intricately detailed images perfectly executed are characteristic of Tanmaya Bingham’s artistic practice. An ode to this is her work ‘Amalgamation’, part of a 2009 series of the same title. In this work she unites the multiple stages of human life to create one all encapsulating form. This autobiographical work is laden with symbolism that combines her childhood, adolescence and adulthood into a hybrid human that, despite it’s distortion and personal connection, has a universal quality in its nature. The most salient feature suggesting a combination of selves are the eyes, which have shadowed multiple sets demanding attention through their direct gazes. This insinuates that this figure is looking at the world through the eyes of her past, present, and perhaps, future.


The luminescent body that extends across the stark black background in ‘Amalgamation’ simultaneously contains an alien, human and spiritual quality in its form and placement. A lead that extends from her belt is connected to a hybrid creature that her left hand affectionately hovers over. The other hand is outreached, acting as a vector line towards a small grave. On the figure’s left shoulder a manifestation of self is comfortably perched. A connection to place is visually revealed as the figure’s body melds into her surroundings, creating ambiguities between the body and the land through the use of colour and symbolism. Bingham has used coloured pencil across a painted black background to create this highly emotive and unarguably skilful amalgamation of her selves.

Left: Tanmaya Bingham, 'Amalgamation' 2009, colour pencil, mixed media on board, 242 x 120cm