Matt Smith’s lockdown adventure was spent in County Kilkenny. From there he recalls being in the Fitzwilliam’s Gallery 6, where decades old wall coverings reveal memories of where paintings have been. Effects of light and marks of use revealing the passage of time.
This led Matt to an early photographic process called cyanotypes, creating an image using just paper, light and two chemicals. Often used in the past to create flower prints, Matt’s mind turned to flower paintings by artist Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750) in Gallery 17.
Hear how he makes a connection from Ruysch’s paintings to the decriminalization of homosexuality.
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Show full transcript Hide full transcriptOf uncertain origin, bought by Lord Fairhaven before 1952
Matt Smith is an artist, ceramicist and curator who works in response to museum collections including the Pitt Rivers Museum, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and The Fitzwilliam Museum where in 2018 he curated the exhibition Flux: Parian unpacked. He holds a PhD in Queer Craft from the University of Brighton, is Professor of Craft: Ceramics and Glass at Konstfack University of the Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. In 2016, he was Artist in Residence at the V&A and in 2018, he was awarded Work of the Show at Collect at the Saatchi Gallery.
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