Art has the power to stop us in our tracks. In our fast-paced world, where adverts and notifications demand our constant attention, it is harder than ever to just pause. Richard Grayson, Michelle Williams Gamaker and Harminder Judge are three artists that pull us away from our own busy worlds. They sit us down to consider the relationship between nature and the human-made; question imperialist ideologies in film and embrace a moment of uninterrupted reflection. For over 40 years, Matt’s Gallery has been championing the work of innovative artists such as Rasheed Araeen, Mariana Simnett and Lindsay Seers. Today, they are one of the UK’s leading contemporary art galleries. Here are three shows to look forward to in 2024.
Richard Grayson | 31 January – 24 March 2024
In 2020, Nature reported that the weight of human-made material exceeded that of the Earth’s bio-mass. There is now more human-made material than ‘natural’ material, from the microplastics inside our bodies to the air in the high mountains. Grayson’s (b. 1958) latest exhibition WSIN uses 3D modelling, digital animation and Augmented reality to picture a world where smart materials leach into mineral and organic matter. Here, amorphous hybrids grow from forever chemicals and micro-plastics in rocky outcrops.
Harminder Judge | May-June 2024
Judge’s (b. 1982) artwork pulls you into depthless portals. His process involves layering pigments on wet plaster that is then sanded, polished and oiled. Abstract shapes emerge from the surface. His work has been displayed around the world, from Jhaveri Contemporary in Mumbai to the Royal Academy of Arts in London. This May, he will present an exhibition of work created specially for Matt’s Gallery. Developed in collaboration with The Sunday Painter, concurrent exhibitions will take place at both venues.
Michelle Williams Gamaker | September-December 2024
Gamaker (b. 1979) is an award-winning filmmaker and performance artist whose work critiques imperialist storytelling in 20th Century British/Hollywood movies. One of her recent projects, Thieves, is a fantasy retelling of the 1924 and 1940 versions of The Thief of Bagdad. In 2023, it won the award for ‘Best Experimental’ short at the Aesthetica Short Film Festival. Her new show at Matt’s Gallery will interweave many aspects of her interdisciplinary practice, including moving image, a film set and an audio installation.
Image Credits:
- Richard Grayson, W.S.I.N., video still, 2023.
- Richard Grayson, W.S.I.N. (Weird Shit In Nature), 2023, digital video still.
- Harminder Judge, Untitled (torso flattened and mud and stone), 2023, installation view at Mead Gallery. Plaster, polymer, pigment, scrim, oil, H380 x W500 x D5 cm.
- Michelle Williams Gamaker, The Fruit is There to be Eaten, 2018, still. Duration: 26:45. HDV, colour, sound.
