TOM MAY
Tom May - Spaces of the Soul
The artist Tom Michael May, born in 1969 in Kirchdorf an der Krems, lives and works in St. Konrad, Upper Austria. Since 1994, he has consistently pursued exhibition projects centered on the theme of humanity, with a primary focus on painting and drawing.
Tom May creates and experiments in the field of fine arts, using the media of painting, graphics, sculpture, performance, and photography. His project design is based on a process-oriented and conceptual artistic approach, particularly applied within the free economy. Site-specific works and installations often emerge in close collaboration with philosophical and cultural studies perspectives. His primary concern is always to give space to the idea, allowing the story underlying the work to become visible.
May has always explored the interplay between space and humanity. The depiction of people and the visualization of inner worlds are central to his artistic practice. For him, space and time are not independent entities but are inextricably linked - a concept that is reflected in his works. Humans experience space through movement, and every movement is simultaneously an experience of time. Thus, space cannot be perceived without time, just as time cannot be perceived without space.
Beyond these physical conditions, however, there is a dimension that eludes grasp: love. It knows neither space nor time; it exists boundlessly. In May’s works, this idea manifests in multi-layered image compositions, where bodies, spaces, and emotions merge - a visual echo of the invisible forces that shape our existence.
Art Series "LOVE IT OR HATE IT"
Whatever the question may be, LOVE is the answer.
This is the best response to the crisis of our time, where people often see only separation and opposition rather than the essence - the wonder of creation. Our world should not be dominated solely by materially driven individuals if, in the process, the humanities are left to wither, and the contemplation of existence and God ceases.
As an artist, I may neglect the exact sciences somewhat and allow myself to be entirely guided by great universal minds and the mystery of the supernatural. Even though this can never be scientifically proven, it nonetheless serves as a profound source of inspiration in my work.
The technological era does not render art obsolete; nor will it eradicate humanity’s longing for inner values. Rather, it cries out for a spiritual counterbalance. Many people have already begun to sense this constant weighing of material versus spiritual needs.
If people become numb and no longer question themselves - internally or externally - then they cease to pursue their visions. When this happens, we lose kindness and, ultimately, love, whose primal force originates from the divine. This is the driving force behind all that is extraordinary - something material wealth alone can never truly satisfy.
A journey through the creation stories and belief systems of the world reveals how faith-based values have emerged from common origins and then diverged. Just as mutual respect for life and human dignity should be upheld, so too should there be respect for each other's religious values - a positive tolerance that appreciates and fosters others in their uniqueness.
For here, too, the highest principle of humanity is LOVE, and in it, we find the answer.
As long as I see or sow love, there is hope.
VITA
Mag.art TOM MAY
Born in 1969 in Kirchdorf an der Krems. Lives and works in St. Konrad, Upper Austria.
After completing his studies in structural engineering at the Higher Technical Institute, he pursued studies in architecture and art in Linz and Vienna until 1997.
Taught in the field of visual arts until 2000.
Since 1994, he has worked on exhibition projects centered on the theme of humanity, with a focus on painting and drawing.
