Matt’s Gallery celebrates 30 years
On Wednesday 16 September Matt’s Gallery celebrated its 30th anniversary. The first exhibition opened in Robin Klassnik's studio at 10 Martello Street, London Fields E8, which then became Matt’s Gallery, now at Copperfield Road, E3. Since 1979 the Gallery has exhibited 67 artists in 135 solo exhibitions.

Robin Klassnik wishes to thank the artists, and all those who have contributed over the years.

Next exhibition at Matt’s Gallery
The next exhibition at Matt’s Gallery will be All Suffering Soon to End by Jennet Thomas from 14 April–6 June 2010. The exhibition will consist of a film installation with performance, and takes it starting point from an evangelical religious pamphlet of the same name.

Jennet Thomas All Suffering Soon to End (production still) 2009, showing at Matt’s Gallery 11 April–6 June 2010

Artists’ exhibitions, projects, awards and events
Here are some highlights for December 2009:

Terry Smith ran a drawing project at Matt’s Gallery on 3 December 2009. The project involved artists and students in London, Manchester and Paris conversing via Skype, describing an object for an artist in a different city to draw.

An artist at Matt's Gallery draws what is being described to her by an another artist in Paris via skype, at Terry Smith's Skype Wars at Matt's Gallery 3 December 2009

An exhibition of Jimmie Durham’s work entitled Obsidiana will be showing at Kurimanzutto, Mexico City from 11 November 2009 until 6 February 2010.

Amikan Toren will show two new series of video works from 2008–2009, a sculpture, and paintings from the series Armchair paintings in his exhibition Carrots & Refreshments at Noga Gallery of Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv from 18 December 2009 to 22 January 2010.

Mike Nelson Triptych 2009 showing at The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin, 4 December—20 January 2010

The Douglas Hyde Gallery, Dublin are showing a new installation by Mike Nelson for their ongoing Paradise project—a series of exhibitions where artists make a selection of work that reflects their idea of 'The Paradise'. The exhibition can be seen from 4 December 2009—20 January 2010.

Willie Doherty’s exhibition Buried, shown at The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh earlier this year, tours to Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea from 19 December 2009—14 February 2010.

Willie Doherty Buried (video still) 2009, showing at Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea 19 December 2009—14 February 2010

Richard Wilson’s exhibition Force Quit is showing at WORKS|PROJECT, Bristol from 20 November to 31 January 2010. The exhibition explores the development of Wilson’s recent landmark works through the artist’s preparatory works.

Force Quit at WORKS|PROJECTS, Bristol includes works detailing recent versions of Richard Wilson's 20:50 (installation shown at Matt's Gallery, 1987)

Nathaniel Mellors will be showing his installation The Time Surgeon, 2007 at De Hallen Haarlem, The Netherlands. The exhibition, entitled Recente Aanwinsten will run from 12 December to 7 March 2010.

Nathaniel Mellors The Time Surgeon, 2007 Artsway, Hampshire (installation view)

Continuing Exhibitions
The following exhibitions and events were featured in the November News page but will continue throughout December:

Having recently shown at the BALTIC, Fiona Crisp’s exhibition of large-scale photographic work entitled Subterrania continues its tour at Impressions Gallery, Bradford from 20 November–24 January 2010 and then moves on to Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall from 13 February–17 April 2010. The exhibition takes images from four series produced over the last six years. A publication and limited edition print have been produced to accompany the exhibition. For more information please see the artist’s pages.

Fiona Crisp Abteilung Nr/E, 2005/6 (archival digital print from colour transparency) from Abteilung Series, can be seen at Impressions Gallery, Bradford 13 February–17 April 2010

Roy Voss will be taking part in Rotate, a new exhibition programme at the Emerald Street offices of the Contemporary Art Society. The exhibition will run from 5 October 2009–8 January 2010.

Roy Voss Fell 33 will be shown as part of Rotate at the Contemporary Art Society offices from 5 October 2009–8 January 2010

Imogen Stidworthy will be showing The Whisper Heard (originally commissioned and shown at Matt’s Gallery 24 September– 16 November 2003) in the group exhibition See This Sound: Promises in Sound and Vision at the Lentos Museum in Linz, Austria from 28 August 2009–10 January 2010.

Imogen Stidworthy The Whisper Heard, 2003 ( installation at Matt's Gallery), will be shown at the Lentos Museum, Linz, 28 August 2009–10 January 2010

The Musée National Des Beaux-Arts Du Québec will be showing Hayley Newman’s work as part of Emporte-moi / Sweep me off my feet an exhibition that addresses the value of emotion in contemporary art. The exhibition runs from 24 September 2009–11 January 2010.

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Staff News
Having been part of the team for 5 years, Joyce Cronin, Gallery Manager (Exhibitions), has made the decision to leave Matt’s Gallery. Joyce will be sorely missed by all.

The Gallery had a takeaway to say goodbye to Joyce and to celebrate Christmas on 17 December 2009.

The man from Zeera being paid by Robin Klassnik outside Matt’s Gallery

Curry feast

Charlotte Cranidge, Joe Watling, Richard Cramp and William Cobbing

Lucy Gunning, Alison Turnbull, Kathryn Klassnik and Kate Smith

Mike Nelson, Joyce Cronin, Amy Botfield, Freddie Pierre-Pierre and Melanie Jackson

Melanie Jackson, Mike Nelson, Rachel Withers and Richard Grayson

Richard Cramp and Joe Watling (front) Holly Slingsby, Carolyn Thompson, Wendy Anderson, Clare Fitzpatrick and Jordan Baseman (back)

Laurence Kavanagh and Val Sutton

Rachel Withers with Joyce Cronin

Mike Nelson

Richard Grayson

Val Sutton, Christine Styrnau, Jo Bruton, Lucy Gunning and Alison Turnbull

Rosalind Horne and Robin Klassnik

Amy Botfield, Clare Fitzpatrick and Joyce Cronin

Mike Nelson, John Russell and Jo Bruton

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Press
Matt’s Gallery have recently appeared in both TimeOut and Sunday Times Culture Magazine. Lindsay Seer’s exhibition It has to be this way and Richard Grayson’s exhibition The Golden Space City of God, both appeared in TimeOut’s Best Exhibitions of 2009, whilst Mike Nelson’s The Coral Reef appeared in Culture Magazine’s Best of the decade. The full articles can be found on our press pages here.

Publications and Editions available to purchase online
Matt’s Gallery have a range of publications and editions for sale through our website. For further information or to purchase an item please visit the editions and publications pages.

Matt’s Gallery editions and publications can now also be purchased through CultureLabel. To go to the CultureLabel website visit www.culturelabel.com or click the logo below

Join Matt’s Gallery on Facebook
Matt’s Gallery are now on Facebook. If you are a member you can join the Matt’s Gallery group by searching for Matt’s Gallery and choosing to join the group.

New ways to support Matt’s Gallery whilst Christmas Shopping
Easyfundraising is a shopping directory listing many online stores including amazon, John Lewis, Apple Store, iTunes, HMV and over 600 other stores. You can raise funds for Matt's Gallery by simply using the easyfundraising site to access these stores. Whenever you make a purchase through one of the stores using the links provided on the easyfundraising site, you’ll generate a free donation to Matt’s Gallery of up to 15% of the purchase price, at no expense to you. To register go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/mattsgallery and use easyfundraising every time you shop online.

You can also now raise funds for Matt’s Gallery every time you search the web. Each search you make using the easysearch search engine you’ll be creating vital income for Matt’s Gallery. Making just 10 searches a day with easysearch instead of any other search engine would raise £20 a year for the gallery. The search engine combines the strengths of several search engines including Yahoo, MSN and Ask.com. Please set our unique easysearch page http://mattsgallery.easysearch.org.uk as your homepage and use it each time you search.

Matt’s Gallery Campaign
Our fundraising campaign is ongoing. Your continued support enables us to take risks and present groundbreaking exhibitions, work with and promote emerging and established artists, commission new work, develop our extensive archive, enhance our role in education and nurture the next generation of cultural leaders and artists. If you haven’t already made a contribution to the Matt’s Gallery appeal, either make a cheque payable to Matt’s Gallery and send it to the gallery address or donate online here using paypal. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Own Art
Matt’s Gallery is pleased to announce it is part of the Arts Council’s Own Art programme, designed to make it easy and affordable for everyone to buy contemporary works of art. To find out more about Own Art, see www.artscouncil.org.uk/ownart
To contact Matt’s Gallery about buying works email info@mattsgallery.org

Matt’s Gallery is pleased to announce it is part of Time Out London's programme of late night gallery openings in East London on the first Thursday of each month. Matt’s Gallery is also included in the programme's guided bus tours. The next First Thursday at Matt’s Gallery will be during Jennet Thomas’ exhibition All Suffering Soon to End in Spring 2010. For further information and tour booking visit: www.firstthursdays.co.uk

Job News
Matt’s Gallery are currently searching for a part time Gallery Manager (Exhibitions) to start in January. The position is a temporary contract until April 2010. The Gallery Manager (Exhibitions) will be part of a small team, working closely with the Director, part-time Gallery Manager (Projects) and part-time Gallery Manager (Communications). He/she will be responsible for exhibition administration and fundraising, and must have experience in the contemporary public arts sector. For further information and application details please visit our jobs page.

Intern News
Matt’s Gallery recently advertised for a new Stanley Picker Intern. The internship is an opportunity for a recent graduate or postgraduate to gain valuable experience working as part of the gallery team and runs for six months from January–June 2010. The Gallery received many applications and will be appointing a new intern in January.

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