Tom de Freston

His work is known for his focus on images of humanity, despair, that ‘convey our most haunted fears about a world struggling for survival’ (Richard Cork).

His practice is dedicated to the construction of multimedia worlds, combining paintings, film, writing and performance into immersive visceral narratives.

Julia and the Shark (2021, Hachette) in collaboration with his wife, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year and the Wainwright Prize for Children's Writing on Nature and Conservation.

[10] Poor Tom, a collaboration with the academic and writer Professor Simon Palfrey in conjunction with the exhibition Shakespeare’s Dead at the Bodleian Library, Oxford University.

[11][12] Charnel House, a poetic graphic novel in collaboration with 37 contemporary poets and writers (Bridgedoor Press), which won best anthology at the Saboteur Awards.

[16] A Fools World, a poetic visual pack of Tarot Cards with poet Helen Ivory (Gatehouse Press) which won best collaboration at the Saboteur Awards.

Exhibition catalogues include, From Darkness (No 20 Arts), Demons Land (National Trust), On Falling (Breese Little), Reflections (Christ’s College, Cambridge), Deposition (Green Pebble).

[18] Essays on his work have included pieces by Sir Nicholas Serota, Sir Trevor Nunn, Christiana Spens, Dr. Pablo de Orellana, Dr. Stephen Kenyon Owen, Chloe Ashby, Dr. James Cahill, Professor Lydia Goer, Dr. Sam Rose, Dr. Damien Freeman, Dr. Rye Holmboe, Dr. Christiana Spens, Simon Martin, Sean Troth, Dr. Anna Ferrari, Francesca Goodwin, Natalia Orellana and Richard Cork.

Wound by Tom de Freston (2021), Mixed media on canvas, 2x1.25M. Artwork photographed by Peter Mallet
Artwork by Tom de Freston from Julia and the Shark, published in 2021 by Hachette Childrens Group
Mother Wept, by Tom de Freston (2014), Oil on canvas, 2x1.5M. Artwork photographed by Peter Mallet
Artwork by Tom de Freston from Leila and the Blue Fox, published in September 2022 by Hachette Childrens Group
Dead Son, by Tom de Freston (2011), Oil on canvas, 2x1.4M. Artwork photographed by Peter Mallet
Untitled, by Tom de Freston (2015), Oil on canvas, 2x1.5M. Artwork photographed by Peter Mallet
Installation photograph from From Darkness (2022), solo exhibition of Tom de Freston's work at No20 Arts, London. Photograph by Peter Mallet
Raft, by Tom de Freston (2021), Mixed media on canvas, 2x1.25M. Artwork photographed by Peter Mallet