Matt Hope
{{short description|British artist (born 1976)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox artist
|name = Matt Hope
|birth_name= Matthew Hope
|image =Matt Hope, Beijing, Nov 2008.jpg
|caption = Beijing, 2008
| birth_date = 1976
| website = {{Instagram|matthopestudio}}
| known_for = Horn Massive, Breathing Bike
| alma_mater = Chelsea School of Art, BFA, Winchester School of Art, Mfa, University of California, San Diego{{cite web| url=http://www.longmarchspace.com/en/category/matt-hope/biography-matt-hope/| work=Long March Space Website| title=Matt Hope Biography| accessdate=1 September 2018}}
}}
Matt Hope (born 1976, Hammersmith, London) is a British artist who lives and works in Guangzhou in China. He is known for elaborate kinetic art and sound art constructions made in large-scale fabrication factories in mainland China.{{cite web| url=https://oui.gallery/artist/matt-hope/| work=Long March Space Website| title=Matt Hope Biography| accessdate=5 June 2024}}
Biography
Matt Hope grew up in London. He studied at Chelsea School of Art, London in 1994–96. Hope received his BFA at the Winchester School of Art, Hampshire, U.K. in 1999, and earned his MFA at University of California, San Diego in 2004. He lived in Beijing's Caochangdi, the artist districted identified with Ai Weiwei from 2008 until 2020.{{cite web| url=https://sculpturemagazine.art/beverly-hills-matt-hope-ace-gallery/ | title=Matt Hope | first=Daneva | last=Dansby | date=1 June 2016 | accessdate=5 June 2024}}
Work
Hope's work uses industrial objects often designed to his specifications and fabricated in Chinese factories that he works with on an interpersonal level. Common materials include speakers systems, solar panels, vehicles and shipping containers, all of which Hope combines into electromechanical sculptures that invite environmental input and flirt with the human scale .{{cite web| url=http://leapleapleap.com/2010/10/matt-hope-making-things-work/|title=Matt Hope: Making Things Work}}
Recent work includes "Spectrum Divide", a solo show at Saamlung Gallery,[http://saamlung.com/?/projects/2012/Matt-Hope/ Matt Hope (solo show), Saamlung Gallery][http://www.randian-online.com/np_vernissage/matt-hope/ Vernissage: Matt Hope, Randian Online] "Sonic Furnace" featured in the Get It Louder Biennial, Shanghai in 2010,{{cite web|title=Get It Louder, Shanghai 2010|url=http://www.getitlouder.com/EnAssistXQ.aspx?ID=173}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} "People's Power Station" at the Chengdu Biennale in 2011{{cite web | title=Chengdu Biennale 2011|url=http://www.chengdubiennale.org/news-2-30-92.html}}{{cite web| title=The Solutions International Design Exhibition of the 2011 Chengdu Biennale| url=http://leapleapleap.com/2012/02/the-solutions-international-design-exhibition-of-the-2011-chengdu-biennale/%E6%88%90%E9%83%BD%E5%8F%8C%E5%B9%B4%E5%B1%95_featureimage/}} and "Laoban Soundsystem: Infinite Baffle" at a cargo container storage bay in Hong Kong.{{cite web | title=Laoban Soundsystem|url=http://en.qi-hardware.com/wiki/Laoban_Soundsystem_Infinite_Baffle}}
Previous work includes Horn Massive and Microscopic Perfect Cube (2005).{{cite web| title=Microscopic Perfect Cube| url=http://www.acegallery.net/artwork.php?pageNum_ACE=199&totalRows_ACE=213&Artist=7| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221063440/http://www.acegallery.net/artwork.php?pageNum_ACE=199&totalRows_ACE=213&Artist=7| url-status=dead| archive-date=2013-02-21}} In 2013 Matt Hope's artwork Armored car (2005) was exhibited at SCOPE Miami by Ace Gallery. The artwork was a Jeep Cherokee reinforced with steel plates.{{cite web| url=https://www.artberlin.de/kunstmessen/scope-art-fair-miami/| date=1 December 2013| accessdate=5 June 2024| work=Art Berlin| title=SCOPE ART FAIR, MIAMI }}{{cite web| url=https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/186538/scope-miami-beach-2013/| date=1 December 2013| accessdate=5 June 2024| work=E-Flux| title=SCOPE Miami Beach 2013 }}
=Towers=
In 2015, Matt Hope had his first solo show at Ace Gallery in Los Angeles, featured sketches, drawings and a set of 10 Towers made of parts bought from the now defunct, Sun Dragon Hardare market in the outskirts of Beijing.{{cite web| url=https://vimeo.com/145694543| date=13 November 2015| author=Ace Gallery| accessdate=1 September 2018| work=Vimeo| title=Interview with Matt Hope Ace Gallery Beverly Hills- Sundragon Hardware (Towers)}}
:The Towers series consists of ten sculptures built from Chinese-made hardware: switches, motors, and structural elements. These skeletal frames serve as chassis to which components are attached that perform a variety of bizarre functions, kinetic, sonic, or other.{{cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkP1eZtnwIM | title=MATT HOPE : SUN DRAGON HARDWARE| accessdate=1 September 2018| author=ERIC MINH SWENSON| website=YouTube| date=31 July 2015}}
The Los Angeles Times described the Towers:
:Each is a sturdy jumble of rods and plates, plastic zip-ties, solar panels, battery packs, timers, audio and electrical components, standing human-height and higher. Most rotate, buzz, pop or make a frightful clatter as they do their ostensible jobs: converting light, heat, sound or one form of power into another.{{cite web| url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-daunting-power-of-the-hand-mind-and-machine-20150817-story.html | title=Daunting power of the hand, mind and machine by Matt Hope at Ace Gallery | accessdate=1 September 2018| first=LEAH |last=OLLMAN| website=Los Angeles Times | date=19 August 2015}}
Sculpture Magazine reviewed the show and highlighted Hope's artwork, "To Fasten" (2006).
=Breath=
"Breath" is bike built by Hope that combines various found objects, including an electromechanical filtration system, that filters air while pedalling. Although technically operable, it is more of an artistic and theoretical response,{{cite web|title=Laowai Not: Breathing Bike|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/video/2013-03/13/content_16304219.htm|publisher=China Daily|date=13 March 2013}} rather than practical solution, to Beijing's pollution problem.{{cite web|title=Pedal-Powered Purifier Clears the Air in China|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/video/pedal-powered-purifier-clears-the-air-in-china-fAPazK5yQXiHMVN1H63~Rg.html|publisher=Bloomberg Television|date=4 February 2013}}{{cite web|title=More Next-Level IKEA Hacking: Matt Hope's Air-Filtering Beijing Bicycle|url=http://www.core77.com/blog/transportation/more_next-level_ikea_hacking_matt_hopes_air-filtering_beijing_bicycle_24306.asp|publisher=core77|date=31 January 2013}}{{cite web|title=Beijing Bike-Sculpture Filters the City's Pollution|url=http://hyperallergic.com/64418/beijing-bike-sculpture-filters-the-citys-pollution/|publisher=Hyperallergic|date=31 January 2013}} "Breath" was exhibited in 2012 at Get It Louder, a contemporary art biennial in China. It is regularly mentioned in International news in connection with China's Pollution Crisis{{cite web|title=Pollution in China: Precious art from toxic waste|url=http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140716-how-toxic-waste-can-be-beautiful|publisher=BBC|date=31 January 2013}} and was the inspiration behind Ofo's Smog Free Bicycle.{{cite web|title=A Smog-Eating Bike May Soon Cruise Beijing's Streets|url=https://hyperallergic.com/391708/smog-inhaling-bike-to-cruise-the-beijing-streets/|publisher=Hyperallergic|date=24 July 2017}}
= The Fatality of Lightness =
= Sum of the Parts =
In this 2018 June solo show Matt took over the Galerie XC Hua and replaced two columns, building supports that support the second building, with his own steel construction forever altering the space. The show also featured several pieces including Blind Infinity and Closed Loop and Noise Section.{{cite web| url=https://www.galerie-xchua.com/13-exhibitions-matt-hope| title=Sum of the Parts - Matt Hope| work=Galerie XChua | date=2 June 2018 | accessdate=1 September 2018| first=Tom| last=Mouna}}
= Drawings =
More recently, Hope has been making hyper detailed pen and ink sketches as part of his day.
= Sleight of Hand =
In February 2019, his drawings were exhibited by Stefan Simchowitz as part of the Newsstand Project in a show titled, Sleight of Hand curated by Alexis Hyde.{{cite web| url=https://cdn.contemporaryartlibrary.org/store/doc/2062/docfile/original-f747d58b813b0bb3297b8823e7377310.pdf| title=Matt Hope Sleight of Hand| work=THE NEWSSTAND PROJECT | date=17 Feb 2019 | accessdate=5 June 2024}}
= #ZEROWASTE & Entropic Bodies =
In March 2019, Hope lead a community project to create cooling suits like his self-worn, Cooling Suit (2019) before the 2019-2020 Hong Kong protests and COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web| url=https://oui.gallery/2019/03/22/matt-hopes-zerowaste-artwork-transforms-energy-at-hong-kong-art-week-ahead-of-climate-change-apocalypse/| title=Matt Hope's Zerowaste Artwork Transforms Energy at Hong Kong Art Week Ahead of Climate Change Apocalypse| work=Oui.Gallery | date=22 Mar 2019 | accessdate=1 September 2018}}
= Miner Arch =
In January 2020, Hope created plans for how to make an arch from used Bitcoin miners, in Miner Arch (2020).{{cite web| url=https://oui.gallery/2020/01/30/of-protests-plagues/| title=of Protests & Plagues| work=Oui.Gallery | date=30 Jan 2020 | accessdate=5 June 2024}}{{cite web| url=https://clementrenaud.com/projects/cryptology/| title=Cryptolog| work=Clement Renaud Research Website | date=30 Jan 2020 | accessdate=5 June 2024}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Instagram|matthopestudio}}
- {{YouTube|id=VvUt2Io3jqQ|title=MATT HOPE ARTIST - Studio Tour in BEIJING 2017}}
- {{YouTube|id=Iz9npqupxyY|title=Matt Hope at TEDxFactory798}}
- {{YouTube|id=QMtQsXo538Q|title=Matt HOPE ARTIST - at work on his drawing 'Made in the USA'}}
- {{YouTube|id=lkP1eZtnwIM| title=Sun Dragaon Hardware at Ace Gallery}}
- {{Vimeo|id=145694543| title=Interview with Matt Hope Ace Gallery Beverly Hills- Sundragon Hardware (Towers)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hope, Matt}}
Category:British male sculptors