Tamsin Relly’s multi-disciplinary practice includes painting, printmaking and photography. In response to the increasingly disrupted environmental conditions of a shifting global climate, her work explores the reciprocal relationship we have with our planet’s ecology and the ways in which we find connection with the living world. Recent projects consider the migration of plants and the preservation of botanical environments through conservation, urban parks and memory – be it personal, collective or held within the land.

Drawing on both found media imagery and first-hand observations, Relly works with the fluid and unpredictable qualities of her materials and processes to present impressions of natural and urban spaces in states of uncertainty or impermanence. South Africa born, Relly’s research has taken her to diverse locations including the Arctic Circle, The Eden Project in Cornwall and Las Vegas. She lives and works in London, where she received an MA in Fine Art at City & Guilds of London Art School in 2011.

Relly’s work has been exhibited and collected widely in the United Kingdom and internationally. It has been presented in group exhibitions curated by Royal Academy of Arts, Sid Motion Gallery,  Informality and T J Boulting  in London; SMITH, Cape Town; and Gerson Zevi, New York; and solo shows hosted by the House of St Barnabas, The Place Downstairs and Brocket Gallery in London. Her work is held in collections including Simmons Contemporary, Hogan Lovells, and the National Maritime Museum in London. Artist residencies include Arteles, Finland; RE·THINK: Environment, National Maritime Museum, London;  Pocantico, Rockefeller Brother Fund, New York; and The Arctic Circle, Svalbard.

Relly has been commissioned by curatorial charity Hospital Rooms to create permanent work for locked and secure mental health units in the UK. In 2017 she donated a share of the proceeds from all her sales to World Land Trust for the purchase and protection of tropical rain forest.

EDUCATION

2011 - 2012

City & Guilds of London Art School – Masters in Fine Art.

ARTIST RESIDENCIES

2018

HOGCHESTER ARTS Dorset, United Kingdom

2016

SILENCE AWARENESS EXISTENCE – Arteles, Finland

2015

POCANTICO – Rockefeller Brothers Fund, New York
RE THINK: ENVIRONMENT – National Maritime Museum, London

2014

GERSON ZEVI LAND ART ROAD TRIP – Nervada and Utah
THE ARCTIC CIRCLE – Svalbard, Norway

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2017

FOREST MEMORY – Brocket, London
IMAGINING THE AMAZON – The Collective, The House of St Barnabas, London. Curated by Alteria Art

2014

JUNGLE SNOW – The Place Downstairs, London. Curated by Stuart Evans

2012

TIPPING POINT – ASC Window Space, London
RECENT WORK – Salon 91, Cape Town

2007

INTERFACE – Guga S’Thebe, Langa, Cape Town

2004

SOURCE – Sandbaai, South Africa

1999

BENEATH THE SURFACE – Le Bon Ton, Cape Town

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2025

AN EXHIBITION OF SMALL THINGS WTIH BIG IDEAS – White Conduit Projects, London
SPEAKING SHADOWS – Beyond Space Art, London 
SUNNY SIDE UP – CLOSE Gallery, Somerset
TENDER GROUND – Hannah Payne Art, Worton Organics, Oxfordshire

2024

THE SCALE OF WATER – Michael Pennie Gallery, Bath
HOSPITAL ROOMS – Hauser & Wirth, London 
WAR CHILD X ART ON POSTCARD – Fitzrovia Gallery, London
ART ACADEMY LONDON FUNDRAISER – Christie’s, London
WOOLWICH CONTEMPORARY PRINT FAIR – Oliver Projects, London

2023

ARES – OHSH X Cromwell Place, London
SHIFTING LANDSCAPES – Emergence Magazine, OXO Tower Warf London
SUMMER EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
HOSPITAL ROOMS FUNDRAISER – Bonhams, London

2022

WITHIN REACH – Sid Motion Gallery, London
LIKE THERE IS HOPE & I CAN DREAM OF ANOTHER WORLD – Hauser & Wirth X Hospital Rooms, London
REGENERATION – Informality Gallery, Henley on Thames
GOD OF WAR – OHSH Projects, London
SOUTH BERMONDSEY ART TRAIL – OPEN STUDIOS – Cell Projects, London
WOOLWICH CONTEMPORARY PRINT FAIR – Oliver Projects, London

2021

INTO THE LIGHT OF THE PRESENT DAY – Oliver Projects, London
SOUTH BERMONDSEY ART TRAIL – OPEN STUDIOS – Cell Projects, London
ART CAR BOOT FAIR (ONLINE) – With Hospital Rooms, UK
SUMMER SHOW – Zuleika Gallery, Woodstock, Oxfordshire
RYTHM ADJUST (ONLINE) – Curated by the Breathe Project – Hannah Payne & Zanny Mellor
INSTRUCTIONS FOR WAITING (ONLINE) – Liminal Gallery, UK

2020

SUMMER ( WINTER) EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
HOSPITAL ROOMS AUCTION – Hauser & Wirth, London
DRAWING CLOSER – Oliver Projects, London
WOOLWICH CONTEMPORARY PRINT FAIR – THE ONLINE EDITION – London
WORK ON PAPER – Blue Shop Cottage, London
SOUTH BERMONDSEY ART TRAIL – OPEN STUDIOS – Cell Projects, London

2019

POLAR WORLDS (on going) – National Maritime Museum, London
SITE WORKS – Experimental Gallery, Cornell University, New York
ONE OF ONE – After Projects, London
HOSPITAL ROOMS AUCTION – Hauser & Wirth, London
HOSPITAL ROOMS  – EXETER PHOENIX – Exeter Phoenix, Devon.

2018

POLAR WORLDS – National Maritime Museum, London
ART FOR THE BARBICAN – The Barbican Centre, London
SUMMER EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
HOSPITAL ROOMS & EILEEN SKELLERN 1 – Griffin Gallery, London
PAPER CUTS – Kristian Day, Saatchi Gallery, London
40° CELCIUS – ASC Gallery, London
9 ARTISTS – Curated by Katherine Oliver, London
SUMMER EXHIBITION – The Concept Space, London
WOOLWICH CONTEMPORARY PRINT FAIR – London
PLACES FACES SPACES – New Arts Project, London

2017

PAPER CUTS – Trip Gallery, London. Curated by Kristian Day
CONTROL TO COLLAPSE – Blyth Gallery,  London. Curated by Paint Union
PLANET ON FIRE – Two-person exhibition with Henry Hussey. TM Lighting, London. Curated by Jo Baring, Ingram Collection
PIY PAINT LOUNGE – Sluice Biennal, London
WISDOM & NATURE – PHILLIPS – London, Paris, New York
SUMMER EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
A SENSE OF PLACE – Simmons Contemporary, London. Curated by Stuart Evans
GREEN CREATES – Fundraising Auction for the Green Party of England and Wales, Hoxton Arches, London
UNCOMMON GROUND – Royal Geographical Society, London
WOOLWICH ORIGONAL PRINT FAIR – London

2016

DENTONS ART PRIZE – Dentons Law Firm, London. Curated by Niamh white
THE TERRARIUM DRAWN – Jaggedart, London. Curated by Katherine Jones
SUMMER EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
ARCADIA – Smith Gallery, Cape Town
VISTA – Coates & Scarry, London
LONDON ART FAIR / JOHN JONES – Business Design Centre, London

2015

WHISPERS – Ronchini Gallery, London. Curated by Adeline de Monseignat

2014

RA ART SALES / PAINTER PRINTMAKERS – Royal Academy of Arts, London
TIME TO HIT THE ROAD – Curated by Gerson Zevi. Leila Heller Gallery, New York
CHRISTIE’S MULTIPLIED ART FAIR / Alteria Art – Christies, London
PUBLISH/CURATE – T J Boulting, London
FNB JOBURG ART FAIR / Commune 1 – Johannesburg
ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS IN YORKSHIRE – Zillah Bell Gallery, North Yorkshire. Curated by Norman Ackroyd
CITY & GUILD OF LONDON ART SCHOOL – Zillah Bell Gallery, North Yorkshire
TRACE – HONORE, Paris
SUMMER EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
LONDON ORIGINAL PRINT FAIR – Royal Academy of Arts, London
BAINBRIDGE OPEN – The Tea Gallery, London
LANDSCAPE TO A BLINDMAN’S EYE – Slate Projects, London
OCEANA JUNIOR COUNCIL LAUNCH – Phillips Auction House, Curated by Stitch Projects, London

2013

SUMMER EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
LONDON ORIGINAL PRINT FAIR – Royal Academy of Arts, London
POP-UP at 87a LOWER MARSH – Curated by Samia Calbayrac, London

2012

BITE – Artists Making Prints, Mall Galleries, London
SUMMER EXHIBITION – Royal Academy of Arts, London
SHOULDER2SHOULDER – Royal Marines Barracks, London
LONDON ORIGINAL PRINT FAIR – Royal Academy of Arts, London

2011

POST GRADUATE PRINTMAKING IN LONDON – Clifford Chance, London
SPACE FOR CHANGE – Parlour Gallery Project Space, London
LET YOURSELF LOVE A WILD THING – Salon 91, Cape Town

2010

SUMMER EXHIBITION – Vetrine Gallery, London

2008

PLAY WITH IMAGINATION – The premises Gallery, Johannesburg
THE BIJOU BURNDS AGAIN – Urban Contemporary Art, Cape Town

2007

THOUGHT TRAFFIC – The premises Gallery, Johannesburg

2006

CHOICE ASSORTMENT – WhatitheWorld, Cape Town
UNTITLED – WhatiftheWorld, Cape Town

2005

SPRING FLING – Whatiftheworld, Cape Town
BLACK AND WHITE POSTER PROJECT – Dirt, Cape Town
MEMBERS EXHIBITION – Association of Visual Arts, Cape Town

2003

BRETT KEBBLE ART AWARDS – Cape Town
SASOL ART AND WAX – Sasolburg, South Africa
YDESIRE – 4rth Soft serve party, The Castle,Cape Town
A REFLECTION OF WOMENS LIVES – Durban Art Gallery, Durban
ICONS – Ants Nest, Cape Town
ABSOLUTE MAGIC – Association for Visual Arts, Cape Town

2002

WOMANS ISSUES – Durban Art Gallery, Durban
FAMILY TREES – Bang the Gallery, Cape
ABSOLUTE VOYER – Association for Visual Arts, Cape Town

2001

THUPELO INTERNATIONAL – S A N G, Cape Town
THUPELO REGIONAL – S A N G, Cape Town
SOCIETE NATIONAL DES BEAUX ARTS – Carrousel du Louvre, Paris
ABSOLUTE SECRET – Association for Visual Arts, Cape Town

COLLECTIONS

2023

IMPERIAL HEALTH CHARITY – London, UK

2022

KOKO – London, UK
SUTTON PR – London, UK

2020

SIMMONS & SIMMONS – London, UK

2019

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM – London, UK

2018

HOGAN LOVELLS – London, UK
DENTONS – London, UK

2016

YELLOWWOODS ART – South Africa

2013

SPIER – Stellenbosch, South Africa

2012

ELLERMAN HOUSE – Cape Town, SA

2007

HOLLARD – Johannesburg, SA
TOKARA – Stellenbosch, SA

2006

HOLLARD – Johannesburg, SA

1999 - 2020

Private Collections in South Africa, Europe, North America, United Kingdom & Australia

PRESS

2025

Sunday Times Style Magazine, United Kingdom

2021

The Moment When, Winsor & Newton (online)
Art, Ecology and Mental Health, CAS Art (online)

2020

Material Matters, Winsor & Newton (online)

2018

Show Studios, London (Interview)

2016

SA Art Times, South Africa (Interview)
Kensington & Chelsea Review, United Kingdom (Interview)
Cape Argus, Cape Town, SA (Interview)
Bolander, Somerset West, SA (Interview)

2014

City Solicitor, UK (Interview)

2013

Tremors, UK (Review)
Rookie Creative, UK (Review)

2012

The New Age, South Africa. (Review)
The Jackdaw, UK (Profile)

2010

Elle, Holland. (Profile)

2009

Elle Décor, SA. (Project Feature)
Top Billing Magazine, SA. (Project Feature)

2007

House and Garden, SA. (Profile)
Garden and Home, SA. (Profile)
Absolute Cape Town, SA. (Profile)
Time Out, Cape Town, SA.(Profile)
Sunday Independent, SA. (Profile)

2006

The Art Times, SA. (Profile)
The Cape Times, SA. (Review)
Obrigado, SA. (Review)

1999

The Cape Times, SA. (Review)
Die Burger, SA. (Review)