Matt Jordan's been picking up discarded materials and giving them a new life. What appears to be playful, colour popping artwork might actually have darker imagery behind it. I got down to check it out...
Friday night on Mansfield Road. Cars whizzing up and down, people ready for the weekend, Spit and Sawdust are FINALLY open.
Matt Jordan took over the space to exhibit his artworks, completely transforming the shop that claim themselves to never be open.
The atmosphere was lovely. A real mix came down to look at Matt's colourful pieces and have a chat or a tipple. Matt's pieces transform trash to treasure. He told me that he salvaged all the materials from around Nottingham and they were given a new life. The pieces feature objects we all know and love; a maze into the mind of a child perhaps.
Pop art and colour are combined with different shapes and textures. Matt spray painted layers of lace to give the pieces depth. A nice little homage to Notts! Originally a Southerner, Matt's been in Nottingham for 8 years, telling me it just felt like the right time to make a move.
One of my favourite pieces was his self portrait (Middle far Right below!) - which features a young Matt with fair hair playing archery in a fort.
His art is captivating, it's beautiful and confusing at the same time. He says he draws inspiration from his 3 children. The artworks are fun and playful and completely unpretentious, the kind of art that everyone can enjoy. It feels like you have stepped right inside Matt's imagination.
Owner of Spit and Sawdust Nathan says that he hopes to have more gallery spaces within the space in the future.
Matt's work is still available to view at Spit and Sawdust by appointment. Contact Nathan for more information http://design.smallkid.co.uk/contact
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