MATT JUKES
Ahead of his first solo exhibition at JOY Editions : ‘WONDERING’, we wanted to find out a bit more about what makes Matt Jukes tick as an artist - read more about his ideas and inspiration… and dream art-world dinner party!
JOY Editions : Hey Matt. First question … What brings you JOY ?
Matt Jukes : True JOY is when I am working without expectation, where I get to have a quiet conversation with the work.
JE : What is the main inspiration for your work ?
MJ : The main inspiration for my work is my memories; I am trying to the emotion of a place, and not the physical representation, as I want to share the emotion with the viewer, and let them layer their own memories over the piece.
JE : Favourite piece(s) from the JOY collection (and why) ?
MJ : Port Gaverne Swim by Nina Brooke. Those greens are to die for.
Leaving Heaven by J.J Midwinter. The mist makes me want to dive right in.
Wind Pruned Tree by Nicole Heidaripour. The texture draws me in.
JE : Artist essentials - 3 things you can’t make art without ?
MJ : Music, space and mediation. I can make art out of anything around me but I need the music and mediation to put me into the right space to create
JE : Favourite materials and process ?
MJ : I love my 200-year-old printing press, and I love not using it "correctly" I use this industrial mass-production tool to create a unique piece.
JE : Dream soundtrack to a studio session ?
MJ : From the quiet of Nick Drake to the noise of My Bloody Valentine, I always choose music which connects and extends to my emotions,
JE : Art world dinner party - who would you invite (alive or dead!) ?
MJ : Caravaggio, Doig, and the Gorilla Girls - that's bound to be a good party,
JE : Are there any artists that always inspire you ?
MJ : I like artists' work which at first glance is simple, but I can return time and time again to discover new textures and shades. I keep coming back to the likes of Mark Rothko and Peter Callison.
JE : How do you prepare for a solo show ?
MJ : Preparing for a Solo show is about discovering the relationship with different works, bringing them together to have a conversation.
JE : How do you get in the zone to curate a space ?
MJ : It starts and ends with music; it's the soundtrack to my life. Music can shift my mood, get me moving, or calm me down. It brings back memories with a couple of bars and paints the most vivid pictures in my mind.
JE : You make some amazing large-scale interactive pieces - any upcoming projects you can tell us about ?
MJ : So many exciting projects are in the works, but nothing I can give details on, all I can say is, it is going to be HUGE!
JE : Favourite exhibition you’ve seen recently ?
MJ : I loved seeing Rothkos sketches at PACE and I loved seeing Nicolas Holiber show at UNIT
JE : Favourite place to visit when you’re in Cornwall ?
MJ : There are so many places, but my current favourite is the rocks of Port Issac.
WONDERING
This beautiful exhibiton by London-based contemporary artist Matt Jukes evokes the colours, forms and feeling of so many places - all imagined, yet so familiar.
We are completly in love with the work and we hope you like it too. Make sure you visit the gallery in Bude if you can - Tues - Satuday, 10:30am - 4pm (or by appointment)
MAtt jukes
Through the exploration of colour and texture, Matt’s work takes the viewer on a journey, one that acts as a conduit to the exploration of their own relationship to emotion and memory. Capturing misremembered landscapes from obscured memories, viewers are invited to share the emotions embedded in each piece - embracing their own reflections and creating personal memories that contribute to the wider context of Matt’s body of work
His work can be found in rooms of the British Institution, Claridge’s Hotel, aboard Saga Cruise Ships and in the homes of numerous private collectors across the globe.