Matt Small - Seen and Heard

About

'Seen and Heard' constitutes the first series of paintings to arise from Small's involvement with the charity organisation Single Homeless Project (S.H.P). Significantly, 'Seen and Heard' represents a conceptual leap for the artist through his unprecedented interaction with his subjects. The 'Seen & Heard' project is an ongoing creative initiative established by Matt Small to counteract the continuing negative portrayals and perceptions of young people. Elaborating on his existing oeuvre, this exhibition thoroughly establishes Small as an active agent of social change as opposed to mere reactive commentator.

The painted portraits and sculptures that constitute this body of work depict those who have participated in the 'Seen and Heard' project to date. Alongside Small's distinctive kaleidoscopic portraits there will also feature artwork, photographs, and film footage documenting the viewpoints of the individuals around whom this exhibition centres. In providing a platform for these young people to express themselves creatively and share their experiences of the world, it's possible to combat disenfranchisement and instead create a sense of social inclusion and relevance for all those involved.

Matt Small's signature portraits predominantly feature subjects taken directly from the streets of London. Executed with textured brushstrokes and haphazard splashes in an astonishing array of marbled colours, Small produces works with a visceral painterly quality that are at the same time both abstract and figurative. His favoured canvases are found objects such as concrete, metal, fridge doors and household goods onto which he applies gloss, poster, and industrial paint in thick impasto to bring the textures and physicality of the urban world to his work.