Thomas Canto (b. 1979) is inspired by experts across a variety of industries, Thomas Canto has charged himself with the task of finding the connection between the different areas. He is known for his work distorting speed and city structures until their original forms are effectively unrecognizable.
Regardless of the genre, Thomas Canto finds inspiration from figures like the Hungarian painter and sculptor László Moholy-Nagy to architects like Zaha Hadid and Jean Nouvel among others.
His works also focus on creating images new through various medias and technologies that express the relationship between humans and architecture.

Thomas Canto’s works are precise and geometric in nature, using boundary lines to delineate spaces where tension can be released. He relies on light and shadows to compose his pieces with reflective effects, sometimes layering moving images with video projector mapping over sculptures to rebirth the pieces into installation art.

Thomas Canto’s repertoire is based on the energy of cities, which he is able to incorporate into his pieces thanks to his deep understanding of optical and kinetic art.
Light and movement are critical elements in contemporary art today, and these focal elements are clearly evident in his works.

Works by Thomas Canto depict a fine and detailed world of cities and interactions between humans and their urban environment. Containing modern components, his pieces are all accented with his unique individual flair. Additionally, the artist considers the many reiterations of daily life in the city and works to convey the chaos of the scenes through a variety of elements bending together.


SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022
Ethereal Structures, Volery gallery, Dubai (UAE)

2019
Chiasma, Matthew Liu fine arts, Shanghai (China)

2018
Temporal geometries, Bermel Von Luxburg gallery, Berlin (Germany)

2017
Structuring shadows , RX Gallery, Paris (France)

2016
Illusory perspectives, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (France)
Gravitational transparencies, Matthew Liu Fine arts, Shanghai (China)
Suspended landscape, ArtCentral, Projects section, Hong Kong (China)

2015
Still lifes of spacetime, Wunderkammern gallery, Roma (Italy)

2014
Transparent landscapes, Atelier des bains, Geneva (Switzerland)

2012
Gravité B, Galerie Australe. La Réunion (France)

2011
An other gravity, ZMART Gallery. Cluj (Romania)

2007
B side. N2O Gallery Lyon (France)

2006
N2O Gallery. Lyon (France)


SELECTED INSTITUTIONAL SHOWS AND OUTER PROJECTS

2021
Concrete expansion, Public art project, Rouen (France)
Group show, LIAIGRE, Shanghai (China)

2020
Group show, LVMH, Shanghai (China)
La collective, Hangar 107, Rouen (France)

2019
Structural reverberations , Sogo Seibu, Tokyo (Japan)
Exponential Urban symphony, Paradise Art space. Incheon (Korea)
Levitating structured inertia, Paradise City. Incheon (Korea)

2018
Objet Impossible, Hangar 107, Rouen (France)

2017
Volklingen Art biennale, (Germany)

2016
Illusory perspectives, Centre Pompidou, Paris (France)
Still lifes of spacetime, (installation), ART021, Shanghai (China)
Suspended landscape, ArtCentral, Projects section, Hong Kong (China)

2015
Artistes à la une, Palais de Tokyo, Paris (France)
Main Street, Mohammed VI contemporary and modern art museum, Rabat (Morocco)
K11 Foundation, Wuhan (China)
Volklingen art Biennale. (Germany)
Look Through, Danysz Gallery project, Shanghai (China)

2014
Nuit Blanche, Danysz Gallery project, Paris (France)
Outdoor urban art festival, Roma (Italy)

2013
Prismic, Installation, Jean Cherqui collection, Paris (France)

2012
Les Bains-Douches, Danysz Gallery, Paris (France)
All senses, Palais de Tokyo . Paris (France)

2011
Artistic Director for « Octobre Rose »(France). Estée Lauder Foundation
Painting performance. French cultural center. San Salvador,(El Salvador)
Group show. Fondation Clément. Martinique (France)

2008
Mural painting for the Keith Haring’s retrospective at the contemporary art museum. Lyon (France)

2007
Gunther Sachs collection
Short film director. Light Festival. Lyon (France)

2006
Sculptures, Lyon Dance Biennale, Lyon (France)


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2021
ART021, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Shanghai (China)
WEST BUND art fair, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Shanghai (China)
American psycho, Volery Gallery, Dubaï (UAE)
Photofairs Shanghai, Matthew Liu fine arts, Shanghai (China)
Beijing contemporary art fair, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Shanghai (China)
Epoxy, Rouen (France)

2020
Guangzhou art fair, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Guangzhou (China)
ART021, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Shanghai (China)
WEST BUND art fair, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Shanghai (China)
ADAA art fair, Sandra Gering Inc, New York (USA)
Materia, Bermel Von Luxburg gallery, Berlin (Germany)
Art Karlsruhe, Bermel Von Luxburg gallery, Karlsruhe (Germany)

2019
Positions Berlin, Bermel Von Luxburg gallery, Berlin (Germany)
ART021, Matthew Liu Fine Arts, Shanghai (China)
Art Paris art fair, Wunderkammern, Paris (France)

2018
Group show, Matthew Liu fine arts, Shanghai (China)
Group show, Bermel Von Luxburg gallery, Berlin (Germany)
Luxembourg art fair, Bermel Von Luxburg gallery, Luxembourg
Cologne art fair, Bermel Von Luxburg, Cologne (Germany)

2017
ART021, Matthew Liu fine arts, Shanghai (China)
Art Shenzhen, Matthew Liu fine arts, Shenzhen (China)
New proposals, ITEM Gallery, Paris (France)

2016
ART021, Matthew Liu fine arts, Shanghai (China)
Positions Luxembourg, ITEM Gallery, Luxembourg

2015
In abstracto, Alessandro Casciaro Gallery. Bolzano (Italy)
Matthew Liu Fine arts Gallery, Shanghaï (China)
Graffuturism, 886 gallery, San Francisco (U.S.A)
Atelier des bains, Genève (Switzerland)

2014
Main Street, Atelier des bains, Geneva (Switzerland)
French art studio, London (UK)
A major minority, 1AMSF gallery, San Francisco (U.S.A.)
Fabien Castanier gallery, Los Angeles (U.S.A)
Sensitive eye, David Bloch gallery, Marrakech (Morocco)

2013
Parallels, Fabien Castanier gallery, Los angeles (U.S.A.)
Nowness!, Artwalk. Cannes (France)
Artwalk. Oslo (Norway)
Graffuturism, Open Space gallery, Paris (France)

2012
Artwalk. Oslo (Norway)
Art in the city, New cities summit, Danysz gallery Paris (France)

2011
Fondation Clément, Martinique (France)

2009
Colab Gallery. Weil am Rhein (Deutschland)

2008
Colab Gallery. Weil am Rhein (Deutschland)