With a challenging past, the present of Tommy Hagen is fully dedicated to different forms of art as an outlet of this previous life. Born in Apeldoorn 1975 and growing up in an era of globalization, Tommy Hagen and his crew pioneered in bringing American hiphop to their backyards and further inland. Influenced by this scene, he started experimenting with scissors and clippers to bring his fascination for lines and patterns alive. Naturally, he rolled into hairstyling for some of the leading brands like Levi’s Yohji Yamamoto, Kenzo and Dior. His brush was a scissor, with which he would cut the most avant-garde, provocative haircuts. Tommy exploited similarities between barbers and artists, such as cutting, painting and sculpting, and used his toolkit to seemingly switch from cutting hair, to cutting paper, tapes and other artifacts. A signature trademark of the artist.

His work is a visualization of his personal journey and his sharp, rough, curious look towards our beautifully disturbed world. A style that manifests itself on an unconventional intersection of brutalism and transcendental meditation. This contrast is highlighted in the blocky outputs, with deeper, personal meanings behind it. Hard forms, line patterns, squares and vivid colors form the building blocks of an explorative maze. The works invite you to explore shadow patterns, untangle rectangles and look beyond that curve. This all comes with a bonus; when you’re bored with one side, just turn it. This multi- perspective comes in quite convenient when you, like the artist, are impatient and curious by nature.