Inward by Thomas Hooper

INWARD Apart from being such a popular tattoo artist, Thomas Hooper is first and foremost a world class artist who, through his work, expresses a myriad of facets of the human soul. What sets him aside from his contemporaries is a constant striving to develop techniques and media which allow him to explore new ground. As a result, his work is always highly experimental, in constant evolution and packs a powerful punch with his unique signature style. Inward is the title of this book and it refers to the journey which the artist and, indirectly, each one of us travels to find our own inner world, in search of answers, but also fresh questions.
The book is a collection of 120 flash and paintings and as many textures produced by Thomas Hooper over recent years and inspired by all manner of things. The predominant influence seems to be nature, indomitable and marvellous. Another major vein of inspiration is cosmology and oriental religions, a genuine exploration of the deepest reaches of the unconscious. Popular symbols and imagery, but also geometric and mathematical patterns, they alternate and combine in abstract patches of colour with realistic studies of the human body and animals.