Art / tom marshman
Raucous, riotous, tragic and artisan
In his two decades as an artist, Tom Marshman has created and shown an eclectic array of work spanning performance art, theatre, cabaret and audio-tours.
Defining himself as having an “idiosyncratic, eccentric sensibility”, his very visual aesthetic brings together “minimalism with charity shop kitsch”.
He has created projects providing queer narratives to established museum collections, a series of queer monologues deconstructing masculinity, as well as many small-scale sensory performances and landscape-inspired site-specific pieces. In 2021, he has been a part of the major Arts Council-funded project Queer National Treasures.
is needed now More than ever
In all his work, Marshman creates a safe space in which to encourage dialogue with his audiences, providing “evocative and authentic glimpses into the everyday” that explore the mundane and then uncover the profound.
Building on the success of Kings Cross (REMIX), Marshman’s new show Old Market (REMIXED) at Trinity Bristol on December 10-11 is a live performance of hidden histories from the area where he lives – home to Bristol’s proclaimed Gay Village, and the site of radical transformation in the preceding decades.
Tom Marshman – photo by Vonalina Cake
Knitted together from first-hand accounts of personal histories, the show promises to celebrate ‘the raucous, riotous, tragic and the artisan’.
“A theme of my work is telling the stories of outsiders, particularly the LGBTQ+ experience and those who have been historically silenced,” Marshman reflects.
“I have interviewed people that live and work here and this process has allowed me to go directly to the heart of Old Market, its make-up and its issues.
“As a resident, I have witnessed many changes in the area. Lots of investment has seen an increasing number of people visit the area, which has an impact on the local community and wider concerns for the city and where diverse communities can find a place to belong.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWd2IK-sjtM/
Old Market (REMIXED) is at Trinity Centre, Trinity Rd, Bristol, BS2 0NW on December 10, with an extra date now added on December 11, at 7.30pm. Tickets are pay what you can from £9, available at www.trinitybristol.org.uk.
Main photo: Vonalina Cake and Alec Stevens
Read more: Bristol 24/7 queer catch-up episode four: solidarity, inclusivity and Tom Marshman
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