Tomas Schats’ sculptures are simple, nimble observations, made with simple means but with great social and poetic eloquence. The works are close to the skin, perhaps also naive, but sharp nonetheless. Tomas Schats (Eindhoven) is known as an illustrator, for among others NRC Handelsblad and the VPRO guide, in which his line drawings appear with regularity. For about seven years now, he has thrown himself energetically into making sculptures. In doing so, he uses the same imagery as in his drawings, but the result leaves nothing to be desired. He tries to translate the form and story of the sculpture as neutral and smooth as possible and succeeds very well. It is extraordinary to see how what he creates in the flat plane also works in three dimensions. He tries to translate the form and story of the image as neutral and smooth as possible. The human figures in his work have an anonymity and are unisex, they are stripped of detail and emotionless. This neutral and universal imagery allows the viewer to easily recognise and relate to themselves in the work. The actions these human figures perform are not yet finished; as a viewer, you are in the middle of them and part of them. They are stilled, frozen in an activity, giving the idea that as a spectator you are present at the action, and that the moment you turn around, the movement continues.
