New work by North Wales sculptor Matt Sherratt is heading to the prestigious Saatchi Gallery in London.
The twisted clay ellipses finished in gold were created in his studio in the Elwy Valley and are similar to those seen in millionaire homes from Eaton Square to Mumbai.
Other sculptures by Matt are also on display at the London showroom of acclaimed furniture maker David Linley, the Queen’s grandson.
His work is becoming increasingly popular with interior designers working on millionaire homes and boutique hotels around the globe, including Kelly Hoppen from BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den.
The Saatchi’s Gallery’s Collect Exhibition: The International Art Fair for Contemporary Objects has been organised by the Craft Council. Running from May 8 to May 12, it brings together the world’s finest galleries representing exceptional work of museum-quality from their portfolio of artists.
The sculptures by Matt, who is partly funded by an Arts Council of Wales grant, are among a group of artworks from Ruthin Craft Centre, where his work has previously been on show.
Interest by collectors and interior designers has also come from events such as the London Art Fair and the capital’s Ceramic Art Show, explained Matt, previously an artist in residence at the National Portrait Gallery who now lives and works in Llangernyw.
“My work is modern, minimal and fluid, inspired by the natural world reflected in abstract form.
“Space, time, material and attention are vital elements in my work. When I work, I use a form of meditative practice to allow myself to be present and attentive to the creative process. I attend to the ‘nothing’ and allow ‘something’ to form.
“This connects me to deep modes of generative force. Just as the universe holds distinct reflective forms and spaces of dark matter, the forms that emerge in the studio create worlds within worlds.
“My forms are honed and shaped to balance aesthetic surface tension with framed spaces. The play between negative and positive shapes is important and I create lines for the eye to dance over, flowing between surface and space, edge and void.
“The finishes on my pieces hold and reflect light. A lustre glaze will bounce light while a terra-sigillata surface absorbs light, either dramatically or sensitively, through colour. From earth bound materials to framing space my work explores deep questions of existence, of why there is something and not nothing.”
His fluid hand-made creations, inspired by the Welsh landscape, were recently on display at Rizon Jet’s private FBO lounge at Biggin Hill air terminal, a short hop from London’s Mayfair.
Famed for its aviation heritage, the airport now hosts the Qatari company’s private jet operation, welcoming showbiz celebrities through to Middle Eastern Royalty and Russian billionaires, all seeking the ultimate VIP arrival in the UK.
David Beckham recently fronted the launch of Jaguar’s new range at Rizon Jet, while actors Damien Lewis and Ewan McGregor filmed part of John le Carré thriller Our Kind Of Traitor in its hanger.
Part of the prestigious Design Nation collective, Matt’s sculptures have also been exhibited alongside artworks by fashion designers Zandra Rhodes and David Sassoon.
He describes his signature works as “old, graphic, fluid organic forms” informed both by his Welsh surroundings and his time working in Covent Garden through to Turkey, the Ukraine, Russia and Morocco.
For larger sculptures, a twisted ellipse of curved clay is created from a handful of material thrown on a wheel, while smaller pieces are modelled by hand in his studio. He then builds it up by hand in coils to create the piece, up to 24in high and standing on a granite plinth. Each piece is unique, and takes around a month to make.
Matt was recently commissioned to create for an Indian steel magnate for his Mumbai apartment, while other artworks are found in private art collections around London and several stately homes in the UK.
He has previously taught at London’s City College, and continues to work in his studio, converted cottage, creating works that will be presented by Ashley Gray of Artelier art consultancy. Ashley was behind the recent acclaimed exhibition of fashion illustrations, Drawing on Style: Four Decades of Elegance. Matt’s sculptural work was shown alongside the drawings of Zandra Rhodes, David Sasson and other British Fashion designers in the exhibition, in Mayfair’s Duke Street.
Ashley said: “Matt’s work draws its inspiration from a noble tradition of landscape abstraction. His work has distant echoes of the modern masters of British sculpture yet has a totally contemporary atmosphere. This deeply personal work has been particularly inspired by the landscapes around his home.
“His work has been admired by top collectors and Interior designers, and the successful sales are in no small part due to the fact that his work is a natural fit amongst colleagues at the top end of London’s prestigious fairs. In the most discerning market place of all, his work stands out for its integrity and power.”
In the past 18 months Matt’s work has been on show at The London Art Fair at Islington; BADA Fair in Chelsea’s Kings Road; the Royal College of Art 20/21 International Art Fair; LAPADA Fair in Berkley Square; Art, Antiques London Fair in Kensington Gardens; the Decorative Fair, Battersea Park; Strand on the Green; Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh; plus private shows such as that at Lloyds Club.
His work is also on sale at 1stdibs.com, an artwork and interior design website founded by Michael Bruno at Paris’s legendary antiques market, Marché Aux Puces.
More of Matt’s work can be seen at his newly launched website www.mattsherratt.com, while details of the Saatchi exhibition are at www.craftscouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/collect/
