Tom Hicks, an artist and academic art librarian at the University of Wolverhampton, has captured the essence of the Black Country in his work, which has evolved from documenting the post-industrial landscape to reshaping it with public art and filmmaking. His latest endeavor, a second book published by The Modernist, showcases the typography, signage, and "hidden beauty" of the area, as described by Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant in the foreword, who called it a "startling study of our fractured, crazy place."
Hicks' interest in psycho-geography, or the effect of place on identity, is evident in his Instagram posts, where he captures the unique character of the Black Country. He focuses on historic signage and industrial units, highlighting the unique in-house logos and letters that factories created without graphic designers. This approach is not a history project but a documentation of the area's current character, like having a dialogue with the landscape.
His work also reflects the identity of local people, who express themselves through signs, graffiti, and everyday humour. Hicks has been commissioned to create public art, such as the sculpture "You Are Here" in Halesowen and a piece for the Dudley Interchange project, both of which centre around meeting places and reflect the region's dialect.
Hicks has also collaborated with local musicians, creating band logos and album covers, and worked with schools, colleges, and universities, engaging pupils with his work on the sense of place and the local environment. He continues to collaborate with poet Liz Berry and has had exhibitions at Birmingham City University and the University of Cambridge.
Hicks' first book offered an insider's view of the Black Country to an international audience, and the second volume mirrors the no-nonsense design of old factory catalogues. His attention to the mechanics of books, such as pacing the journey through the region, showcases his dedication to the craft. Hicks' work contributes to a broader movement of artists reclaiming the local as a site of creative meaning, redefining and celebrating the handmade and overlooked.
