Tamla: Room With a View
by Tom Smith
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June 6th - July 19th, 2019
7 days a week, 11am–7pm
Thursday late night, 11am–9pm
323 Canal Street, New York City
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For his first time, painter Tom Smith merges his painting practice with his drag muse: Tamala. For 7 years Smith has used Tamala to create fashion works and explore/video destinations such as Brazil and Iceland. Now combining the two practices and commemorating the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, Tamala will take control of 320A Canal Street (move to 323 Canal Street), transforming it into a surreal painting studio that will transform over 3 weeks.
Between technicolor drapes Tamala will create paintings on canvas exploring domestic fantasy. Channeling the idealism of 1960s futurism, she’ll conjure windows, furniture, floor designs etc. as if living in her own self-made happy home.
Smith is also a co-creator of DragOn; an annual drag ball which has raised over $100,000 for HIV/AIDS related charity organizations in New York City. The event serves as a creative event for people to experiment with drag and gender bending. This fall DragOn will be re-invented as MOTHER and will benefit The Latex Ball through GMHC.
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“Creating my own muse goes beyond what Tamala is into stylistically, it's about the kind of world she’d be a part of. My paintings have revealed a fantasy world to me and now I see that she comes from that same place. Bridging the two disciplines is about mixing craft, drama and fun.”
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June 20th
6pm - 9pm
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"Room With a View" continues as artist Tom Smith merges his painting practice with his drag muse: Tamala. In a live painting session, 320A Canal street is transformed by Tamala into a surreal studio of technicolor drapes and glowing sunsets. Channeling the idealism of 1960s futurism, she conjures windows doors and other architectural elements as if living in her own self-made happy home
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For more information contact oncanal@wallplay.com
@instatomsmith #oncanal