Martyn Thompson

The Accidental Expressionist

Martyn Thompson is an artist embracing an aesthetic defined by the touch of the hand. A visual push me / pull me between nostalgia and now, his work is characterized by a tactile and painterly language.

‘A certain curiosity guides my work which has evolved through experimentation and the accidents that occur along the way. Thus my working ethos ...The Accidental Expressionist. Creatively I have been fortunate to explore different yet related mediums: one process leading to another. I have lived in many places but at heart, I am a nester. I don’t visualize ideas in isolation. They have a home in the world around me.’

In the early 1980’s Thompson began his career designing and making clothes before deciding to document them instead. In 1985 he began to work as a fashion photographer in Sydney, moving to Paris in 1988 and later, London and New York. During the 1990’s his photographic scope broadened into an idiosyncratic lifestyle approach embracing the world of interiors and still life. His work is human-centric and connects to the environment in ways that allow the everyday to take on an enigmatic quality.

As a photographer, Thompson has created imagery for many of the world’s leading brands including Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Hermès, and Estee Lauder. He has authored two books: Interiors and Working Space and photographed a number of published titles, including Ilse Crawford’s Sensual Home and Home is Where the Heart Is and the highly successful River Cafe cookbooks. He has contributed editorial to highly respected magazines including Elle Decoration, Architectural Digest, W, The New York Times Magazine, and Vogue.

Since 2012, Thompson’s practice has branched out from photography into various expressions. His New York studio began to focus on interior-oriented works... principally bespoke textiles which were featured at the design gallery, The Future Perfect. Later, hand-painted ceramics, made in collaboration with British ceramics company,1882ltd, and recently, in Australia, hand-blown glasswork created with master glassblower Tom Rowney at Canberra Glassworks. Thompson has presented his work in immersive interior installations at the London Design Festival and contributed to the Salone del Mobile in Milan.

His Accidental Expressionist collection, with British ceramics company 1882Ltd, was awarded best tableware 2020 by Elle Decoration UK and his collaboration with Perennials Rugs fetched up awards from Interior Design USA and Architizer A+ Jury Awards 2018 for best carpets. Thompson was also a finalist in the Rigg Design Prize installation at the National Gallery of Victoria's “Domestic Living” exhibit, in 2018. Fragrance and lifestyle brand, Jo Malone London, has collaborated with Thompson on two candle collections and elements of their global store design.

Since returning to Australia in 2021, Thompson has focused on building local collaborative alliances to create one-off pieces that he has exhibited in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra.