Build, Burn, Repeat Exhibition
September 19 - October 31, 20235
The Mixing Room Gallery at Thor’s Hammer
Thor’s Hammer is excited to present Build, Burn, Repeat, an innovative exhibition by talented local artist Tom O’Hara.
Tom’s practice is centred around wood and the complex role it plays in both the natural and human environment. This new series of works marks Tom’s first body of work since completing his PhD in 2024 (ANU School of Art and Design).
This exhibition presents objects that are an extension of the unique process Tom developed throughout his research. Assembling hundreds of wooden segments into a complex matrix and using fire as a transformative force, Tom shapes and unifies the object, resulting in works that seem human made and yet naturally formed. The ambiguity of these works encourages the viewer to question the object’s history and origin, inviting contemplation of our interconnected, yet precarious relationship to nature.
At the core of Tom’s practice is the notion that wood both connects us to and separates us from the natural world. We are tied to the complex web of life through the fundamental role trees play as ecosystem architects. Making up two thirds of the earth’s biomass, trees create essential habitat and food for countless living organisms.
However, the characteristics that allow a tree to defy gravity and stand tall in a forest are the same characteristics that make it such a valuable and useful material. Wood possesses a strength-to-weight ratio superior to steel and yet it can be easily cut and carved. It is versatile, durable, beautiful and renewable, playing a central role in the human journey of technological advances. However, seeing wood only as a resource ignores its crucial role in ecosystems. This relationship is precarious and the need to find a balance is central to Tom’s practice and begins with his own use of wood in the studio.
Tom O’Hara, S02E02 ‘The black stump’, mixed eucalypt, 600x500x500mm
Previously Tom had used small pieces of timber found or salvaged from friends or family. For this exhibition, however, the expanded scale of his works required a responsible supply of wood. This led Tom to Thor’s Hammer. Tom discussed his project with the team at Thor’s Hammer and found a source of wood for his works. When turning salvaged Australian hardwood into floorboards, some sections are rejected due to natural splits in the grain. These rejected boards were saved and cut into small segments that become the foundation for the work in this exhibition.
We cannot disconnect ourselves from nature, we are part of it. The works presented in Build-Burn-Repeat seek to strengthen that connection. Tom’s work connects viewers to a familiar material presented in a new way, inviting new perspectives on our interconnected relationship with the more than human world.
Build, Burn, Repeat is showing at the Mixing Room Gallery at Thor's Hammer in Griffith (Canberra) from
19 September until 31 October 2025.
ARTWORKS FOR SALE
The works in Build, Burn, Repeat are available to purchase, and will be ready for pick up after the exhibition ends. We may also be able to assist with shipping—please contact us to check if the piece you are interested in can be delivered.
Download the room sheet and price list below, and call (02) 6282 9900 or email hammer@thors.com.au if you have any questions about artwork sales.
Key Details
EXHIBITION DATES: September 19 - October 31, 2025
‘OPENING NIGHT’: 6pm Friday 19 September, 2025. Register your attendance here (it’s free).
WHERE: The Mixing Room Gallery at Thor’s Hammer, 10 Mildura St, Griffith, ACT.
GALLERY HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:30-4:30pm and Saturdays 10-2pm.
ENTRY DETAILS: No tickets or bookings required to view exhibition.
WORKS ON SALE: Works will be on sale during the exhibition, available once the exhibit has finished.
Please contact us for sales enquiries on 6282 9900, or email hammer@thors.com.au
Artist Biography
Tom O’Hara is a Canberra based artist working with wood to create works that explore the complex relationship humans have with nature. Tom’s creative journey began as an apprentice electrician where he honed his understanding of material manipulation and haptic learning. This sparked a fascination with how materials can be shaped, setting the foundation for his artistic exploration. In 2014, Tom completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) from RMIT University Jewellery and Object workshop. Here he began experimenting with wood—a material that would become central to his practice. This period marked the beginning of his exploration into wood as both a living organism and a transformative material. Tom’s practice evolved further during his PhD at the ANU School of Art and Design, where he researched rule-based systems and intuitive methods to create objects that appear both constructed and naturally formed. His work investigates the duality of wood as a human-altered material and an organic structure, challenging perceptions of its origin and form.
Since completing his Doctorate in 2024, Tom has established his studio at Strathnairn Arts, where he continues to expand and refine his process, creating works that bridge the human and natural worlds through material exploration and sculptural innovation.
If you’d like to learn more about Tom and his processes, you can read our Meet the Maker interview.
Please note: The Mixing Room Gallery is located up two flights of stairs in an old 1950’s building. If you have mobility issues, we're very sorry but we are unable to cater for your needs. Our greatest apologies.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
CAPITAL BREWING CO.
Thanks to Capital Brewing Co. for their ongoing support of our exhibition opening events at The Mixing Room Gallery. Capital is a B-Corp Certified, Canberra born and bred institution and Australia’s first Climate Active certified 100% carbon neutral brewery!
Here at The Mixing Room Gallery, we curate artists and exhibitions that align with the environmental ethos of Thor’s Hammer as a business. Having support from like-minded partners like Capital Brewing Co. is incredibly important to us, and to the integrity of the Mixing Room Gallery program.
THREE MILLS BAKERY
Three Mills Bakery has recently come on board as one of our community partners, supplying delicious nibbles for our opening events at a discounted rate. Three Mills is a fixture of Canberra culture, producing delicious sourdough bread and laminated pastries using house-milled flour, local ingredients and traditional long fermentation techniques.
They’re a community-minded, purposeful local business and we’re grateful for their support as we continue to bring together the Canberra arts community for events at The Mixing Room Gallery.
BRINDABELLA HILLS WINERY
Brindabella Hills Winery is our newest community partner, contributing ‘cool climate elegance in a glass’ to our opening events. Brindabella Hills vineyard and winery is situated 25km north of Canberra on a ridge above the Murrumbidgee. The protected site of the property, with its well drained granite soils, offers a perfect environment for the production of premium grapes for table wines.
Established in 1986 and having recently undergone extensive renovations, we love the ethos and passion shown by owner Michael Anderson and winemaker Brian Sinclair. With 21 vintages now behind them, they have established the potential for premium wine production in the Canberra region.