We have teamed up with etc.venues to bring you a London solo exhibition by Matt Wilde at Dexter House, Tower Hill.

‘Life is something that happens while you’re making other plans’.

Wilde’s work has a raw energy. It’s a running commentary on life in the city. His figures represent the daily battle with the comings and goings of getting from A to B.

His streetscapes are hard-edged yet with a humorous charm. The irony and self-deprecation of Matt’s work give an opportunity to release daily anxieties with a quiet smile. He invites you into his world with little witticisms and observations that punctuate his visual prose.

Matt’s use of urban architecture shows the glamour that attracts you to the Big City. While this is a world we all too easily recognise, through Wilde’s eyes we somehow come to grips with its enormity and pathos.

 I would say that my work is full of life and energy. The urge to get the ideas from mind to canvas is evident in the mmediateness of the charcoal or brush strokes. The fast pace of the thought process and work style coincide with the fast pace of today’s lifestyles and the need for me to produce artwork and survive financially at the same time. I think that the viewer can relate to the paintings in one way or another. Is it you waiting for the train or bus to arrive or you rushing through the crowds while chatting on your mobile phone, or perhaps it’s you reading the latest headlines in the paper or feeling lost amongst the crowds.

I have incorporated newspaper cuttings along with shopping receipts and tickets from public transport since 1998. I feel hat they serve a purpose as a foundation to my work, capturing a moment in time along with dates and headlines. I sometimes add political humour to the work by creating my own headlines in newspapers, billboards or on adverts seen on taxis and buses, I feel that this small attention to detail keep the observer interested in the work and maybe find something new with each view.

e: nick@artzu.co.uk

t: +44 (0) 7958 942 008

Sponsors Church House Private Bank and etc. venues combined to create a resoundingly successful exhibition by Manchester artist Philip Smith. Indeed etc. venues have made a bid to buy many of the key paintings!

Church House report that the relationship between art and commerce is working well.

Keith Edwards, director at Church House, says:

‘Church House Private Bankers are keen to support Modern Art and its creators, a theme we share with etc. venues. Phillip’s work was both accessible and thought provoking in equal measure, the artist himself was generous with his time giving our clients and professional contacts a deeper insight to the work on show. This is our second exhibition with Artzu Gallery and we’ve enjoyed having a window on the world of international modern art, something our clients have shared with us. We hope to continue with the programme to support Artists across the mediums, and particularly Painters and Sculptors in concert with our partners Artzu Gallery and etc. venues’.

The success of the exhibition will come as no surprise to admirers of Philip Smith whose cityscapes and elegant, wistful landscapes have been snapped up by eager clients.

Singing our praises, Franck Rosello, Operations and Projects Manager of etc. venues, says:

‘The private view organised with Artzu Gallery was a real hit with our clients and staff. High quality artwork in our venues are key to the look and feel of our business. Artzu Gallery was certainly the right partner for our event, providing inspiring and engaging quality pieces of artwork which felt connected instantly to our space. Our clients loved it and provided a unique and exclusive backdrop to our event. The very personable service from Artzu Gallery also meant that the project was most pleasurable, professional and seamless to organise’.

Both Church House and etc. venues are keen to sponsor the next event which is the Matt Wilde exhibition at Dexter House towards the end of the year.

Put this in your diary!