Orrego Tomás

Tomás Orrego (1991) is a Peruvian filmmaker, visual artist, and musician with a background in architecture. Spanning animation, design, collage, and installation, his work touches in a very idiosyncratic way the construction of male heterosexuality and the disruption of innocence. By using free association and an absurd approach, these themes are explored in an irrational way, eschewing logic, and embracing the drowsy consciousness of dreams.

His animated short film Las Manos Que Ríen (2018) obtained Best Direction and Oustanding Artistic Achievement at the Insólito Festival de Cine de Terror y Fantasía and first place in the Made in Peru section at the Festival Al Este de Lima. His found footage video work, Justine, was screened as part of the Festival Internacional de Arte & Cine Queer in the El Fanny Cine Continuo cycle in Bogota, Colombia. In 2022, Hotwire My Heart, his latest film shot on 16mm, was part of the official selection of The Weird Local Film Festival in Boston and BizarroLand.

As a visual artist he has participated in exhibitions such as Verbo 15a mostra de performance arte in Galeria Vermelho in Sao Paulo, Brazil, #2: Generación Y in Y Gallery Lima and Unfinished Hase in Alte Handelsschule in Leipzig, Germany. In 2019, he had his second solo exhibition called Justine at Fundación Euroidiomas. In addition to this, he has participated in residency programs in Germany and Colombia.

His work also extends to more commercial venues, having produced music videos for bands such as Liquidarlo Celulloide, Autobus and Mold! while also designing and animating live visuals for DJ sets and working as a creative director for BTL type events for renowned brands such as Kohler.

He currently lives in Boston, taking part in the MFA Film and Media Art program at Emerson College.