Matto Lucas is a Naarm-based multi-media artist, photographer and lecturer. Lucas’ work (regardless of whether it is performance, photography or painting) attempts to interrogate systems of power (ie. masculinity, capitalism, world-building etc.)
Having photographed events, parties and queer spaces for over a decade Lucas’ photography work is informed by representing, celebrating and uplifting queer spaces, fringe cultures and subcultures and its peoples.
Brunswick Street Gallery, with the support of Yarra City Council, is excited to exhibit Matto Lucas’ Impossible Dance (ii) in our Ground Floor Gallery Project — a dedicated exhibition space to showcase the work of emerging artists based across Australia.
Who or what are the biggest influences to your work?
(In relation to my photographic works) I am inspired by the people, clubs, parties and ‘moments’ within the events in which I photograph. Finding natural and temporal tableaux and being present to capture specific scenes and interactions. In relation to artists, Rennie Ellis is my biggest inspiration.
What upcoming projects are you working on?
With Impossible Dance (ii) at BSG I’m finishing a multi-space exhibition project - Impossible Dance i - iv, which has been so huge for me and so great, so I’m just going to be enjoying this final installation in the project and the whole thing overall. I have a lot on, from design projects to other creative works, and currently just feeling a bit burnt out from application writing and rejection emails, tbh.
.How do you consider your audience when you are making an artwork?
I consider the subjects in the photographs, but I don’t think I consider the audiences. That is to say, I don’t censor the works or curate for audiences. I think for people that don’t patron these spaces and might find the images “confronting” I also think that the works can be a learning or entry point for them.
Although that being said, when I had the billboards at the Substation I did have to curate those works to be more ‘palatable’ and less controversial due to the public nature of the displays.
Matto Lucas’ Impossible Dance (ii) is being exhibited in Brunswick Street Gallery’s Ground Floor Gallery Project, an initiative generously supported by the City of Yarra.
Impossible Dance (ii) is current until 29 May 2022.