There are two prominent individuals named Tom Phillips with very different life stories and actions.
- Tom Phillips (1937-2022) was a British multidisciplinary artist known for his work in painting, printmaking, collage, writing, and music. He created the notable extended serial art project "A Humument," a reworking of a Victorian novel into new art and poetic text. He also taught art, composed music including opera, and held several prestigious art-related positions, including being a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery and a member of the Royal Academy.
- Another Tom Phillips was a New Zealand father who became a fugitive after disappearing with his three children in late 2021 following a custody dispute. He evaded police in a widely publicized manhunt for nearly four years. In 2025, he was killed in a shootout with police during a burglary confrontation in New Zealand, during which a police officer was critically injured. His three children were found safe following the incident. This case generated national attention and remains notable for its mystery and violent end.
If the question is about "what did Tom Phillips do," the answer depends on which Tom Phillips is meant: the artist known for groundbreaking multidimensional art and compositions, or the New Zealand fugitive father involved in a tragic police shooting.
