Roma Tearne (née Chrysostom; born 1954) is a
Sri Lankan-born artist and writer living and working in England. Her debut novel, Mosquito, was shortlisted for the
2007 Costa Book Awards first Novel prize (formerly the Whitbread Prize).
Early life and education
Tearne moved to South London in 1964 with her Sinhalese mother and Tamil father when she was ten years old.[1]
Tearne has exhibited at the
Royal Academy of Arts, London.[1] In a 1998 review of her work in Modern Painter, J.B. Bullen described Tearne's work as, "light is simultaneously everywhere and nowhere in these powerful paintings."[6]
Tearne directed and shot five short films, including, Letter from Urbino, which was screened at the National Gallery, London, in 2012 as part of the launch of her novel The Road to Urbino.[7]
Writing
Tearne's first novel, Mosquito, published by
HarperCollins in 2007, was shortlisted for the
Costa Prize[3] and nominated for the
Los Angeles Times Book Prize.[8] Her second novel, Bone China, was published in spring 2008.[1][9] Her third novel, Brixton Beach, was published in 2009.[1][10] Her fourth novel, The Swimmer, (May 2010)[11] was long-listed for the Orange Prize,[12] while a film based on the narrative was made by Tearne and shown at the
Venice Biennale in 2011.[13][14] Her fifth novel, The Road to Urbino (2012) was long-listed for the Asian Man Booker,[15] while another film by Tearne, based on the novel, was shown at the
National Gallery, London, in June of that year. Tearne's most recent novels, The Last Pier (2015)[16] and The White City (2017),[17] were published by Aardrark Bureau.
2007 Mosquito, HarperCollins
ISBN0007233655,[1][22][23] shortlisted for Costa First Novel Award[3] and nominated for Los Angeles Times Book Prize[8]
Articles
2015 "Ariadne's Thread: In memory of W.G. Sebald by Philippa Comber, book review: How Sebald remains a great inspiration for writer, Roma Tearne," The Independent[24]
2008 "Watermuseum", Nottingham Castle Museum,[31] based on work during AHRC fellowship at Oxford Brookes University[4]
2007 (August) Flashline: Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival
2007 (March) "Crossing the Water": Modern Art, Oxford
2007 Blindfolding of the Sheldonian Emperor Statues[23]
2006 Every Object Tells a Story. The South Asian gallery, V & A
2005 (February) Artist in Residence, Modern Art, Oxford
2004 Museo Laboratorio di Arte Contemporaneo, "La Sapienza", Rome. Blindfolding of statues around the city, including Giordano Bruno[33]
2004 Installation at Modern Art, Oxford
2003 Light installations St Mary's University Church, Oxford
2002 Ruskin MA degree show: London: Cubit gallery
2002 Bracknell Manor House: "Traces". New work as part of prize-winning entry for "Open Shutter"
2002 "The House of Small Things": Southern Arts and London Arts Board touring exhibition: Angel Row, Nottingham; X-Change Gallery, Oxford; 198 Gallery, London, Bracknell Gallery, Berkshire.
2002 Fotonetsouth: Bracknell Gallery Photographic show: First Prize
2001 "Sounding the Heart", one-person show, Milton Keynes General Hospital, National Health Service Trust[34]
1997 Bankside Gallery, London, Royal Watercolour Society
1997 Sphinx Gallery, St James's, London
1997 Royal Academy of Arts, London
1997 Cadogan Gallery, London
1992 Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, South Asian Arts Festival
1991 Bankside Gallery, London. Mixed show
1991 Royal Society of Painters and Etchers, London
1990 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool/Oxford Gallery. Mixed show
1990 Royal Society of Painters and Etchers, London
^
abKellogg, Carolyn (3 March 2009). "Robert Alter wins Kirsch Award; The 45 nominees in nine categories for The Times Book Prizes are announced". The Los Angeles Times. pp. D.3.
^"Nel corpo delle città" [In the body of the city]. Servizi Culturali (in Italian). 2 July 2004.
Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
Roma Tearne (née Chrysostom; born 1954) is a
Sri Lankan-born artist and writer living and working in England. Her debut novel, Mosquito, was shortlisted for the
2007 Costa Book Awards first Novel prize (formerly the Whitbread Prize).
Early life and education
Tearne moved to South London in 1964 with her Sinhalese mother and Tamil father when she was ten years old.[1]
Tearne has exhibited at the
Royal Academy of Arts, London.[1] In a 1998 review of her work in Modern Painter, J.B. Bullen described Tearne's work as, "light is simultaneously everywhere and nowhere in these powerful paintings."[6]
Tearne directed and shot five short films, including, Letter from Urbino, which was screened at the National Gallery, London, in 2012 as part of the launch of her novel The Road to Urbino.[7]
Writing
Tearne's first novel, Mosquito, published by
HarperCollins in 2007, was shortlisted for the
Costa Prize[3] and nominated for the
Los Angeles Times Book Prize.[8] Her second novel, Bone China, was published in spring 2008.[1][9] Her third novel, Brixton Beach, was published in 2009.[1][10] Her fourth novel, The Swimmer, (May 2010)[11] was long-listed for the Orange Prize,[12] while a film based on the narrative was made by Tearne and shown at the
Venice Biennale in 2011.[13][14] Her fifth novel, The Road to Urbino (2012) was long-listed for the Asian Man Booker,[15] while another film by Tearne, based on the novel, was shown at the
National Gallery, London, in June of that year. Tearne's most recent novels, The Last Pier (2015)[16] and The White City (2017),[17] were published by Aardrark Bureau.
2007 Mosquito, HarperCollins
ISBN0007233655,[1][22][23] shortlisted for Costa First Novel Award[3] and nominated for Los Angeles Times Book Prize[8]
Articles
2015 "Ariadne's Thread: In memory of W.G. Sebald by Philippa Comber, book review: How Sebald remains a great inspiration for writer, Roma Tearne," The Independent[24]
2008 "Watermuseum", Nottingham Castle Museum,[31] based on work during AHRC fellowship at Oxford Brookes University[4]
2007 (August) Flashline: Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival
2007 (March) "Crossing the Water": Modern Art, Oxford
2007 Blindfolding of the Sheldonian Emperor Statues[23]
2006 Every Object Tells a Story. The South Asian gallery, V & A
2005 (February) Artist in Residence, Modern Art, Oxford
2004 Museo Laboratorio di Arte Contemporaneo, "La Sapienza", Rome. Blindfolding of statues around the city, including Giordano Bruno[33]
2004 Installation at Modern Art, Oxford
2003 Light installations St Mary's University Church, Oxford
2002 Ruskin MA degree show: London: Cubit gallery
2002 Bracknell Manor House: "Traces". New work as part of prize-winning entry for "Open Shutter"
2002 "The House of Small Things": Southern Arts and London Arts Board touring exhibition: Angel Row, Nottingham; X-Change Gallery, Oxford; 198 Gallery, London, Bracknell Gallery, Berkshire.
2002 Fotonetsouth: Bracknell Gallery Photographic show: First Prize
2001 "Sounding the Heart", one-person show, Milton Keynes General Hospital, National Health Service Trust[34]
1997 Bankside Gallery, London, Royal Watercolour Society
1997 Sphinx Gallery, St James's, London
1997 Royal Academy of Arts, London
1997 Cadogan Gallery, London
1992 Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, South Asian Arts Festival
1991 Bankside Gallery, London. Mixed show
1991 Royal Society of Painters and Etchers, London
1990 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool/Oxford Gallery. Mixed show
1990 Royal Society of Painters and Etchers, London
^
abKellogg, Carolyn (3 March 2009). "Robert Alter wins Kirsch Award; The 45 nominees in nine categories for The Times Book Prizes are announced". The Los Angeles Times. pp. D.3.
^"Nel corpo delle città" [In the body of the city]. Servizi Culturali (in Italian). 2 July 2004.
Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.