Mark Toms: Modern art by a tower of London

Venue: Shaftesbury Theatre

When, where and what time?

Singapore

Sun, 1 September

“When I first got the invite, I thought: ‘This is The Shard. I can do this!’.” So says Mark Toms, whose rooftop photograph, Mean Streets, taken in 2016, shows a quirky assortment of people waiting on pavements at the opening of the Shard, the biggest tourist attraction in the city’s skyline. High society isn’t usually represented in street photography but this magazine loves to celebrate unlikely juxtapositions. As a director for the Singapore Tourism Board, Toms is ever mindful of how tourism marketing resonates with the local community and adapts his work to reflect this. Mean Streets became a key point of discussion as the area was emerging as a hip, young and fashion-forward area of town, a gateway for local residents to travel to the city center. It’s a typical theme to which Mark goes with his work.

Vital statistics

Born: 13 February 1988

Net worth: Unknown

Properties owned: Multiple

Education: Birmingham School

Motto: “The almighty dollar doesn’t do it for me.”

Sample question: Do you feel you’ve had a good week?

Example question: How do you like your cheesecake?

What is your guilty pleasure?

“Film.”

Huge resources have been spent analysing Toms’ work and he readily admits to having never seen a photograph of himself: “It’s just an art project, I’m a filmmaker.” One of his goals is to reach and educate his readers through his work. “What I hope is that they can take something away. I want them to have a new appreciation for their fellow humans.”

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