Avant Gallery, a contemporary art gallery based in Hudson Yards, New York & Miami, is currently featuring the ‘Nothing to See’ & ‘Black is a Color’ collections by Tim Tadder.

These striking photographic explorations of ongoing social & political currents have put Tim Tadder’s art on the map. Tadder’s otherworldly works highlight both the uncertainty & the hope present in today’s political climate & juxtapose foreboding & freedom in an effort to understand the world as it exists today.

What does your art represent?

My fine art repertoire responds to the political divisions America faces as a nation. The ‘Nothing to See’ series depicts a moment of resistance against a “new normal” in which dishonesty functions as the currency of political success. This collection resonates with viewers to inherently ask whether they will recognize the policies and propaganda meant to divide us or choose to remain blind.

With powerful imagery & striking utilization of color, these works compel viewers to break free from the ever-present narratives spun by politicians & media alike & take a moment to see, with fresh eyes, the nation as it is today.

How did you create these pieces?

For the ‘Nothing to See’ series, our team airbrushed models with a full coat of body paint. In order to generate an otherworldly, smooth base, I incorporate models with Alopecia, an immune disorder that results in hair loss. Our team then uses complex studio lighting techniques to lead the eye to specific aspects of the image. The smooth surface of the body paint on the models, combined with the photographic lighting, allows me to create images that exude lush visual messages.

For the ‘Black is a Color’ collection, our team poured over 20 gallons of non-toxic paint over the subjects’ heads. This collection is an unintentional trilogy to my ‘Nothing to See’ & ‘United States of Purple’ series by incorporating bald subjects as highly conceptual pieces of my work. This has become the framework behind my artistry. 

From that standpoint, I always look at bald subjects as representative of mankind. I want to strip it down to what we share in common, which is to the absolute most simplistic form, our bodies. The subjects in the art represent humanity, not just the subject in the image. Hair is often one of the first identifiers of a person, it’s a differentiator. When we strip down to a hairless form, we talk about what we share at the core, which is the body itself. We all share this mannequin-like form. 

What is the meaning of the name?

When primary colors are mixed at equal parts, black is ultimately the precipitating color. When we think about race we think of ‘black or white’. We have a stereotypical notion of black or white. However, individuals are not simply black or white, individuals are more complex than that. As a society, we are missing that infinite display of color. This collection is representative of the infinite complexity of an individual.  

We are infinitely complex in our racial DNA, but when we binarily assign race, we are truly missing the individual. An individual is not 'black or white', they are a mix of infinitely complex human beings. Color is just a mix of infinitely complex DNA. Our society has done great harm by simply labeling individuals as 'black or white'. 

During the process, an imperial display of tones appears in the swirling to mirror powerful structure & emotion from the subjects. From inception to execution, ‘Black is a Color’ proved to be a pivotal project at a defining moment in our nation. 

What does it represent conceptually?

This collection demands that we look past skin tone, & into beautiful, infinitely complex humans. We experimented with a lot of different paint viscosities and dilution techniques which created some serendipitously beautiful colors that enhanced the project. We always started with a triad of colors that were mixed together that created a powerful marbling-like effect. The colors I utilized are highly methodical & deliberate.

What do you hope to impart to the viewer?

The inspiration for this series was conceived at a crucial time for the nation to unite, I hope that this collection encourages empathy, unity & a non-binary view of race. ‘Black is a Color’ challenges one to see past profiling & foresee the beauty that is capable of elevating the human experience.

As aforementioned, I’m trying to share with the viewer that they should reconsider their perception of race & ultimately, race shouldn’t be viewed in binary terms. We should have a more cerebral and open perception when we consider individuals.