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
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City & Guilds of London Art School
Masters in Fine Art.
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2018
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HOGCHESTER ARTS
Dorset, United Kingdom
2016
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SILENCE AWARENESS EXISTENCE
Arteles, Finland
2015
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POCANTICO
Rockefeller Brothers Fund, New York.
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RE THINK: ENVIRONMENT
National Maritime Museum, London.
2014
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GERSON ZEVI LAND ART ROAD TRIP
Nervada and Utah.
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THE ARCTIC CIRCLE
Svalbard, Norway.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017
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FOREST MEMORY
Brocket, London.
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IMAGINING THE AMAZON
The Collective, The House of St Barnabas, London. Curated by Alteria Art.
2014
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JUNGLE SNOW
The Place Downstairs, London. Curated by Stuart Evans.
2012
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TIPPING POINT
ASC Window Space, London.
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RECENT WORK
Salon 91, Cape Town.
2007
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INTERFACE
Guga S’Thebe, Langa, Cape Town.
2004
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SOURCE
Sandbaai, South Africa.
1999
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BENEATH THE SURFACE
Le Bon Ton, Cape Town.
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
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WITHIN REACH
Sid Motion Gallery, London
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LIKE THERE IS HOPE & I CAN DREAM OF ANOTHER WORLD
Hauser & Wirth X Hospital Rooms, London
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REGENERATION
Informality Gallery, Henley on Thames
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GOD OF WAR
OHSH Projects, London
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SOUTH BERMONDSEY ART TRAIL – OPEN STUDIOS
Cell Projects, London
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WOOLWICH CONTEMPORARY PRINT FAIR
Oliver Projects, London
2021
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INTO THE LIGHT OF THE PRESENT DAY
Oliver Projects, London
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SOUTH BERMONDSEY ART TRAIL – OPEN STUDIOS
Cell Projects, London
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ART CAR BOOT FAIR (ONLINE)
With Hospital Rooms, UK
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SUMMER SHOW
Zuleika Gallery, Woodstock, Oxfordshire
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RYTHM ADJUST (ONLINE)
Curated by the Breathe Project – Hannah Payne & Zanny Mellor
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR WAITING (ONLINE)
Liminal Gallery, UK
2020
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SUMMER ( WINTER) EXHIBITION
Royal Academy of Arts, London
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HOSPITAL ROOMS AUCTION
Hauser & Wirth, London
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DRAWING CLOSER
Oliver Projects, London
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WOOLWICH CONTEMPORARY PRINT FAIR – THE ONLINE EDITION
London
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WORK ON PAPER
Blue Shop Cottage, London
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SOUTH BERMONDSEY ART TRAIL – OPEN STUDIOS
Cell Projects, London
2019
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POLAR WORLDS (on going)
National Maritime Museum, London.
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SITE WORKS
Experimental Gallery, Cornell University, New York
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ONE OF ONE
After Projects, London
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HOSPITAL ROOMS AUCTION
Hauser & Wirth, London
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HOSPITAL ROOMS – EXETER PHOENIX
Exeter Phoenix, Devon.
2018
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POLAR WORLDS
National Maritime Museum, London.
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ART FOR THE BARBICAN
The Barbican Centre, London.
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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HOSPITAL ROOMS & EILEEN SKELLERN 1
Griffin Gallery, London.
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PAPER CUTS
Kristian Day, Saatchi Gallery, London.
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40° CELCIUS
ASC Gallery, London.
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9 ARTISTS
Curated by Katherine Oliver, London.
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
The Concept Space, London.
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WOOLWICH CONTEMPORARY PRINT FAIR
London.
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PLACES FACES SPACES
New Arts Project, London.
2017
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PAPER CUTS
Trip Gallery, London. Curated by Kristian Day
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CONTROL TO COLLAPSE
Blyth Gallery, London. Curated by Paint Union
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PLANET ON FIRE
Two-person exhibition with Henry Hussey. TM Lighting, London. Curated by Jo Baring, Ingram Collection.
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PIY PAINT LOUNGE
Sluice Biennal, London.
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WISDOM & NATURE
PHILLIPS – London, Paris, New York.
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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A SENSE OF PLACE
Simmons Contemporary, London. Curated by Stuart Evans.
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GREEN CREATES
Fundraising Auction for the Green Party of England and Wales, Hoxton Arches, London.
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UNCOMMON GROUND
Royal Geographical Society, London.
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WOOLWICH ORIGONAL PRINT FAIR
London.
2016
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DENTONS ART PRIZE
Dentons Law Firm, London. Curated by Niamh white.
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THE TERRARIUM DRAWN
jaggedart, London. Curated by Katherine Jones.
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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ARCADIA
Smith Gallery, Cape Town.
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VISTA
Coates & Scarry, London.
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LONDON ART FAIR / JOHN JONES
Business Design Centre, London.
2015
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WHISPERS
Ronchini Gallery, London. Curated by Adeline de Monseignat.
2014
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RA ART SALES / PAINTER PRINTMAKERS
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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TIME TO HIT THE ROAD
Curated by Gerson Zevi. Leila Heller Gallery, New York.
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CHRISTIE’S MULTIPLIED ART FAIR / Alteria Art
Christies, London.
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PUBLISH/CURATE
T J Boulting, London
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FNB JOBURG ART FAIR / Commune 1
Johannesburg.
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ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS IN YORKSHIRE
Zillah Bell Gallery, North Yorkshire. Curated by Norman Ackroyd.
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CITY & GUILD OF LONDON ART SCHOOL
Zillah Bell Gallery, North Yorkshire.
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TRACE
HONORE, Paris.
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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LONDON ORIGINAL PRINT FAIR
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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BAINBRIDGE OPEN
The Tea Gallery, London
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LANDSCAPE TO A BLINDMAN’S EYE
Slate Projects, London.
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OCEANA JUNIOR COUNCIL LAUNCH
Phillips Auction House, Curated by Stitch Projects, London.
2013
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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LONDON ORIGINAL PRINT FAIR
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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POP-UP at 87a LOWER MARSH
Curated by Samia Calbayrac, London.
2012
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BITE
– Artists Making Prints, Mall Galleries, London.
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
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SHOULDER2SHOULDER
Royal Marines Barracks, London.
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LONDON ORIGINAL PRINT FAIR
Royal Academy of Arts, London.
2011
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POST GRADUATE PRINTMAKING IN LONDON
Clifford Chance, London.
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SPACE FOR CHANGE
Parlour Gallery Project Space, London.
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LET YOURSELF LOVE A WILD THING
Salon 91, Cape Town.
2010
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SUMMER EXHIBITION
Vetrine Gallery, London.
2008
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PLAY WITH IMAGINATION
The premises Gallery, Johannesburg.
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THE BIJOU BURNDS AGAIN
Urban Contemporary Art, Cape Town.
2007
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THOUGHT TRAFFIC
The premises Gallery, Johannesburg.
2006
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CHOICE ASSORTMENT
WhatitheWorld, Cape Town.
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UNTITLED
WhatiftheWorld, Cape Town.
2005
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SPRING FLING
Whatiftheworld, Cape Town.
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BLACK AND WHITE POSTER PROJECT
Dirt, Cape Town.
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MEMBERS EXHIBITION
Association of Visual Arts, Cape Town.
2003
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BRETT KEBBLE ART AWARDS
Cape Town.
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SASOL ART AND WAX
Sasolburg, South Africa.
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YDESIRE
, 4rth Soft serve party, The Castle,Cape Town.
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A REFLECTION OF WOMENS LIVES
Durban Art Gallery, Durban.
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ICONS
Ants Nest, Cape Town.
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ABSOLUTE MAGIC
Association for Visual Arts, Cape Town.
2002
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WOMANS ISSUES
Durban Art Gallery, Durban.
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FAMILY TREES
Bang the Gallery, Cape Town.
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ABSOLUTE VOYER
Association for Visual Arts, Cape Town.
2001
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THUPELO INTERNATIONAL
S A N G, Cape Town.
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THUPELO REGIONAL
S A N G, Cape Town.
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SOCIETE NATIONAL DES BEAUX ARTS
Carrousel du Louvre, Paris.
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ABSOLUTE SECRET
Association for Visual Arts, Cape Town.
COLLECTIONS
2022
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KOKO
London, UK.
2020
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SIMMONS & SIMMONS
London, UK.
2019
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NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
London, UK.
2018
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HOGAN LOVELLS
London, UK.
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DENTONS
London, UK.
2016
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YELLOWWOODS ART
South Africa.
2013
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SPIER
Stellenbosch, South Africa.
2012
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ELLERMAN HOUSE
Cape Town, SA.
2007
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HOLLARD
Johannesburg, SA.
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TOKARA
Stellenbosch, SA.
2006
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HOLLARD
Johannesburg, SA.
1999 -2020
- Private Collections in South Africa, Europe, North America, United Kingdom & Australia.
PRESS
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)