Thomas Hammel
I was interested in photography at an early age. I had my first darkroom at age twelve. I was also very nerdy, interested in mathematics and science. While studying mathematics at college, I spent most of my time in the darkroom of the Creative Photography program founded by Minor White at MIT. It was there, as a student, that I made my first nude image.
After college, I supported myself by working as an engineer. I continued to shoot photography projects, mostly nudes, because that was what I liked. I didn’t show my work publicly, until on a whim I submitted five images to an international competition in 2005. I didn’t have any expectation of success. Three were selected!
Since then, I’ve been making more art, doing more shows, and selling prints here and there. My black and white work has won multiple awards and is in several private collections. Recently I began working in color.
Artist’s Statement
My work is mostly nudes. Frequently abstract, often formal, sometimes whimsical, and occasionally political. Not obscured, coy, demure, or reserved, but direct, frank, forthright, and unambiguously nude.
Recent work includes Portrait of America and Legs. The political project Portrait of America challenges views on racial and ethnic categorization as it celebrates diversity. Legs is a fun look at female legs; legs, legs, and more legs; nothing but legs.
