Private View - MRA Project Space

The opening event for Removed from the Eyes of Strangers took place on Thursday 7 January. It was a particularly freezing night, so thank you if you made it out!

If you haven't seen the exhibition yet, do pop in between 12-6pm on any Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 6 February 2010. Alternatively, come by for one of our Removed from the Eyes of Strangers events, either the Curator's Talk on Saturday 16 January or the panel discussion on Thursday 4 February.

Matt Lippiatt relaxes after a hard week's work!

Matt Roberts, Matt Lippiatt and Wendy Mayer in Conversation

Thursday 4 February 2010, 6-7.30pm
MRA Project Space, Unit 1, 25a Vyner Street, London, E2 9DG

 

Join Matt Roberts (curator) and artists from the Removed from the Eyes of Strangers exhibition as they discuss the notion of Freud’s ‘uncanny’ in contemporary art – with reference to their own practice – and share their experiences of developing this international touring exhibition in three venues across Europe.

Free entry, no booking required.

Please email exhibitions@mattroberts.org.uk for more information.

Removed from the Eyes of Strangers at MRA Project Space, London

7 January – 6 February 2010
Friday to Sunday 12pm – 6pm (plus the first Thursday of each month 6pm – 9pm)
MRA Project Space, Unit 1, 25a Vyner Street, London, E2 9DG

Removed from the Eyes of Strangers brings the work of four emerging British artists -Rachel Goodyear, Matt Lippiatt, Wendy Mayer, Pete Smith- to MRA Project Space. This is the final leg of the international exhibition, following a tour of Galleri Andersson/Sandström in Umeå, northern Sweden, and Co-Lab. in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Removed from the Eyes of Strangers is the culmination of a four-year research project. We asked these artists to develop new work that draws inspiration from the writings of Sigmund Freud, especially in relation to his seminal essay ‘The Uncanny’. Although there have been many exhibitions focusing on this theme, Removed from the Eyes of Strangers is unique in that it has supported new commissions that do more than simply reference Freud’s theory.

The final exhibiting artists attempt to engineer a visceral, physical uncanny occurrence that causes the viewer to momentarily question their preconceptions of the material world. Each artist subtly alters domestic objects, revealing how we can still be terrorised by the slightest shift in our perceptions.

If you would like further information about the exhibition and our programme of events please visit www.mattroberts.org.uk 

Screening documentation

Matt Lippiatt joined us to set up a screening of his video, Nightcruising, as a part of November's First Thursday event on Vyner Street. The screening was intended as a preview to the Removed from the Eyes of Strangers exhibition in the new year. We were really pleased with the turnout for the event. Below are some photographs of the event, including footage from the video itself.

Matt Lippiatt, Nightcruising, installation view, 2009, MRA Project Space. 

 See below for video documentation of the event:

Opening night

The exhibition opened last Thursday in Umeå. Gallery Directors Stefan Andersson and Sara Sandström Nilsson introduced the show and Matt Lippiatt and Pete Smith each gave a brief speech about their work.

Stefan and Sara

Pete Smith and Matt Lippiatt

On the left is Lilian, the gallery's administrator. She helped us through the installation, and she has been my main contact for the planning of the exhibition.

Visitors arrive for the event.

Visit from Umeå Konstskola

Matt Lippiatt speaks to students about his video work, Nightcruising

"This morning we were visited by foundation students from the Umeå Konstskola. It was a great opportunity for us to get some early reactions to the exhibition. Some of the students had read the stories about our show published today in the local papers, so they already knew a little background about my work and the decision not to screen the video here due to its sexual content.

We watched the video with the students, and had an interesting discussion about art and pornography. Umea's young people are a smart and thoughtful crowd!"

-- Matt Lippiatt

Click here to view Nightcruising

Matt Roberts leads a tour of the exhibition

Participating Artists - Matt Lippiatt

Nightcruising #1, digital print, 1 of 6, 2009, 150 x 85 cm

Matt Lippiatt’s large scale prints are reproductions of stills taken from his video Nightcruising (2009), a collaboration with pornographer Liam Cole. Matt has re-edited video clips from a porn scene shot at night in London's Hampstead Heath, manipulating the sound and speed of the footage to foreground the ominous character of the nocturnal woodland setting and the ambiguous activities taking place.