Lapis Room - Thomas Christopher Haag - “13 exciting ways to integrate your shadow"

mixed media on panel

36" x 48"

About the Artist:

Thomas Christopher Haag (b. Wichita, Kansas) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work draws from global travels and deep roots in the New Mexico art scene. After briefly studying chemistry and mathematics at the University of Kansas, he left academia to explore the world, living in southern Mexico, Switzerland, India, Spain, the Pacific Northwest, and across the American Southwest.

For over 15 years, Haag has lived and worked in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos, where he has been a vibrant contributor to the region’s creative culture. His diverse background includes work as a commercial diver, art director, curator, and gallery owner. A prolific muralist—both commissioned and guerrilla—his public works span cities such as Oaxaca, Barcelona, Venice, Varanasi, Rangoon, and throughout the U.S., often under the aliases “Detach,” “Stove,” and “El Pituitario.”

Haag’s practice centers on layered, collaged paintings and assemblages made from reclaimed house paint, found wood, and discarded books. Referencing ancient iconography and spiritual traditions, his work blends reverence with irreverence—paying homage to criminal saints, cosmic absurdities, and moments of divine banality with equal parts insight and wit. His exhibitions have featured alongside artists such as Shepard Fairey, Chaz Bojórquez, Swoon, Gaia, and Chip Thomas.