Tom Mackie, Portals

There are dual forces at work in Mackie's practice, distinct yet complementary. The first is an archival impulse: an appreciation of the ephemerality of things, identified with materials that are charged with obsolescence, signs of wear, and traces of former affect. This sensibility leads Mackie to gently excavate the histories embedded in found objects, integrating their perceived flaws and redundancies into the formal logic of his relief sculptures.

The second tendency is anti-gestural. Rather than foregrounding expression, Mackie employs refined surfaces and highly controlled forms that suppress evidence of the artist's hand, creating works that balance emotional resonance with formal restraint.

The tension between these forces places Mackie's practice beyond easy categorisation. Neither overtly expressive nor purely abstract, it occupies a space in which material memory and formal restraint coalesce, allowing historical traces to assume renewed significance.

For Portals, Mackie presents a new body of work drawn from reclaimed timbers, found objects and polished brass. Across the exhibition, impressions left by absent objects, stains, shadows and patterns revealed through wear become points of focus, revealing histories that remain embedded within the materials themselves.

Portals runs 18 June – 11 July 2026.

Rather than holding a formal opening, Tom Mackie will be in the gallery on Friday 3 July and Saturday 4 July to discuss the exhibition and meet visitors.

An exhibition essay by Nina Dyer will accompany the show.