I hold a First Class BA(Hons) degree in Art History from the University of Sussex, a Masters from the Royal College of Art in the History of Design, and a doctorate from the University of Sussex. My doctoral research investigated nineteenth-century critical reactions to the 'chryselephantine' mixed media sculpture of antiquity.
I began my career working for a fine art auctioneer before entering academia. After completing my doctorate I spent two years as Henry Moore Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Sussex where I organised an acclaimed three-day international conference on Rodin's connections with Great Britain.
I'm a member of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA) and have written and lectured extensively on the art market and its institutions; art and design history; art crime; cultural heritage; contemporary art; African art; the impact of technology on the art market; and the historical development of museums.
My writing has been published in a broad range of international publications, including The Art Newspaper, Art & Auction, Apollo, Art Quarterly, Art Review,
Art News, Museums Journal, The Spectator, and many others. I've taught art history at Sussex University and the history of museums at Birkbeck College, University of London and I'm a visiting lecturer each June on the ARCA Masters course in Art Crime Studies in Amelia, Italy. I currently lecture on the art market at Kingston University and on the Masters course in Art and Business at the Wallace Collection, London, run jointly by the Institut des Études Supérieures des Arts (IESA) in Paris and Warwick University. I am also a visiting lecturer on the Art and Business Masters course run by Christie's Education.
On the business side of the art world, I've held senior management posts in a number of private sector art companies, including Business Development director of the art price database company Invaluable.com, and CEO of Eyestorm, the leading contemporary limited edition print company, which I restructured during 2007-08, repositioning the business for future growth.
In 2002 I founded Artnose (recently re-launched), the UK's first and only satirical website devoted to the art world, and I continue to run The Sculpture Agency to promote my own writing on contemporary sculpture and to help communicate sculptors' creative projects to a broader audience.
My publications include The Body in Sculpture (1997), Colonialism and the
Object: Empire, Material Culture and the Museum (1998, co-edited with Tim
Barringer), The Paintings of Clive Head (2000), Sean Henry (Scala, 2008), The Sculpture of Lynn Chadwick (2009). I continue to write books and exhibition catalogues on contemporary artists and recently edited the 2nd edition of Skate's Art Investment Handbook, 2009-10.
Testimonials
“I worked with Tom when he had recently joined Eyestorm, on some issues that he had inherited and were certainly problematic. He was fabulous to work with - always providing the necessary and required information quickly and efficiently, and always working with the utmost integrity. I had known him before this, through different spheres of his work, but had never worked with him before. He's a superb writer on art world related issues - and extremely knowledgeable. A joy to work with and I would recommend him highly.”
— Louise Hallett, Owner, Hallett Independent Ltd.
“There are four kinds of public speakers/teachers: 1. Those who are very knowledgeable but cannot speak; 2. Those who can speak but lack knowledge; 3. Those who can speak and do have a lot of knowledge about the subject matter; 4. And those very rare speakers who know how to fascinate an audience for a long time because they are very well informed, know how to present this knowledge, dare to speak out about controversial matters, and have a great sense of humour. Tom Flynn without any doubt deserves a place in the last category. I whole-heartedly recommend Mr Flynn for conferences and high-end educational purposes.”
— Ton Cremers, Director/Founder, Museum Security Network
"Having served as an active participant in the art market for a number of years in a variety of capacities and having examined it through an academic lens, Tom Flynn provides students with unique insights into an otherwise opaque business. The student experience is further enhanced by his accessibility and passion for engaging with students both inside and outside of the classroom. During ARCA's MA course in International Art Crime Studies, Tom's skills were most evident in his ability to communicate his course materials to — and engage with — a student body from diverse demographics and backgrounds. As a result, Tom prepared students for careers by encouraging and inspiring them to seek ways to enter into a two-way dialogue with the art market.
— Mark Durney, Business and Admissions Director, ARCA Masters Programme in International Art Crime Studies, Amelia, Italy
"I have followed Tom Flynn's publications for several years now, and have sat in on approximately 15 hours of his lectures during the ARCA program in Art Crime. Tom is both a first-class speaker and writer. His knowledge and insight on the art market in particular is astounding, and I recommend his services without reservation."
— Kimberly Alderman, Cultural Property & Archaeology Attorney
"The art world is a unique microcosm and Tom's experience and understanding of it are extensive. What makes Tom invaluable is the comprehensive way in which he conveys this knowledge and engages you in discussion."
— Alexis Marotta, Director of Archives, Alexander Calder Foundation, New York
"Tom is a lecturer who not only teaches and impresses his audience with his extensive knowledge, but also inspires and motivates his students to think outside the box."
— Georg Grosse-Hohl, Expert on Art & Terrorism, Coordinator for International Programs at the Non-Profit 'Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Association' (DERA)
"Tom's class was an eye-opening and very thought-provoking insight into the different aspects of the art world. He shared his infinite knowledge with great professionalism and always the right amount of humour, which made his lectures the best experience of my ARCA summer."
—Corinne Dialer, Art Historian and Psychologist, Munich, Germany
"Tom joined the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM) as Head of Communications and was a great inspiration to many. His knowledge of the art world is exceptional; he is at all times precise in all that he writes. He travelled to Sweden to deliver a lecture on the return of cultural objects and was well received by all, from the organisers to the audience. He is an asset to any just cause and campaign that promotes the true value of art."
— Marlen Taffarello, British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles
