For Thomas Trum, the methods artists use to apply a medium to a substrate is as much a source of fascination as the finished work. Around 2008, when he was painting graffiti, he began experimenting with different techniques and tools—a readymade paintbrush or spray can only accomplish so much.

“The thing I like most about humans is how they constantly strive to improve efficiency in everything they do,” Trum tells Colossal. “Just as farmers invent tools to make their work more efficient, I observed the same drive in the painting world, where various innovations have made life easier or work faster.”

“Duotone Shaped Line 18” (2024) in progress

Trum began devising his own machines that could achieve a new level of precision at a large scale. “By 2014, I shifted my focus to monochrome paintings, concentrating on creating shapes and working exclusively with lines,” he says.

On canvases, along walls, and across floors, Trum uses a variety of handmade machines that assist in applying fields or lines of color to sprawling surfaces. Paint is laid down with the assistance of modified hand-held sprayers and elaborate motorized mechanisms that rotate to apply perfect arcs and gradients.

The transparency of the paint reveals numerous layers and points to the meticulous preparations required for Trum to complete a piece in one attempt.

The artist’s often monumental works require a small team that brings different strengths to each project, pushing the boundaries of what they can make. His latest project was a collaboration with Porsche titled The Art of Dreams, which transferred his vibrant geometric motifs to boat sails, a pool, and a large-scale series of canvases.

The artist is currently working on a project incorporating video and photography to capture the element of motion in his work, which will be presented in the spring at Gerhard Hofland Gallery in Amsterdam. Find more on Trum’s website, and follow updates on Instagram.

“Two Fan Shaped Lines in Yellow and Pink” (2023) in progress

Installation view of ‘Porsche — The Art of Dreams’ (2024). Photo by Thomas Lohr

Test in the studio for “Multiple Lines” (2023)

“Loops” (2022). Photo Arturo Sanchez

Trum painting copies of his book

“Two Fan Shaped Lines in Yellow and Pink” (2023), HNBM

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