Tom O’Hern’s Thagomizer exhibition explores the end of the world as we know it

In the eyes of this Hobart artist the end of the world is well and truly on the table. He explores this concept through new mediums in his latest exhibition.

Tom O'Hern exhibition at the Betts Gallery. Picture: Caroline Tan

What if scientists are able to bring back the Thylacine, but can’t get the stripes right?

That was one question on Hobart artist Tom O’Hern’s mind while he was creating art for his newest exhibition Thagomizer, which explores concepts around extinction and time.

“It’s all about how the world is ending,” O’Hern said.

Tom O'Hern exhibition at the Betts Gallery. Picture: Caroline Tan

“People often say oh you are overreacting, you’re acting like it’s the end of the world.

“It has ended a couple of times before, there’s been five mass extinctions- it’s on the table.”

There is a political sense to Thagomizer, with O’Hern baffled that governments keep allowing new coal mines and other greenhouse gas emitting projects.

“We should probably not end the world, that would be cool.”

Tom O'Hern exhibition at the Betts Gallery. Picture: Caroline Tan

O’Hern said the concept has been a long running “obsession” in his life, but it doesn’t worry him so much since he started practising “cosmic insignificance therapy”.

“I feel quite good thinking about just how massive time is, and how nothing that I am involved in really matters that much,” O’Hern said.

The new collection is full of oil painting and ceramics which are both new mediums to the longstanding artist who likes to keep trying something new.

Tom O'Hern exhibition at the Betts Gallery. Picture: Caroline Tan

“I don’t really know what I’m doing,” he said, having picked up ceramics after taking his daughter to a pokemon making workshop.

The exhibition running until May 3 at Bett Gallery Hobart features freaky thylacines, frogodiles, bones, prehistoric fish and flying reptiles.