Biography
Matt Small is a British contemporary artist renowned for his vibrant, expressive portraits painted on found metal surfaces. His work exists at the intersection of abstraction and realism, capturing both the spontaneity of street art and the refined structure of academic technique. By transforming discarded materials into compelling artworks, Small offers a powerful reflection on identity, urban life, and the hidden stories of everyday individuals.
Small's portraits are characterized by their dynamic composition, intense color palettes, and richly textured surfaces. Often created on salvaged objects such as boiler covers, shelving units, road signs, and car parts, his chosen materials carry the marks of the urban environment. This deliberate use of found metal not only reinforces the authenticity of his subjects—typically anonymous individuals encountered on the streets of London—but also speaks to themes of sustainability, impermanence, and urban transformation.
For Small, the unpredictable nature of these surfaces introduces a sense of creative freedom and spontaneity. “Underneath the image is structure and definition, and over the picture is the madness of chaos," he explains—a visual metaphor for the tension between control and disorder that defines both his work and the world around us.
A graduate with first-class honors in Illustration and an MFA from the Royal College of Art, Matt Small's early career was marked by academic excellence. He received the prestigious Villiers David Art Prize in 2001 and was shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award the same year. Yet rather than follow a conventional artistic path, Small chose to forge his own distinctive style—rejecting formal constraints in favor of experimentation and emotional immediacy.
Eschewing traditional portrait commissions, Small selects his subjects spontaneously. He photographs strangers he encounters in public spaces—always with their consent—and later uses these images as the foundation for his paintings. This process imbues his work with a profound sense of immediacy and humanity, turning overlooked individuals into figures of beauty and dignity.
Despite the chaos of color and texture that defines his aesthetic, Small pays meticulous attention to the eyes of his subjects. Often rendered with exceptional clarity, they serve as emotional focal points within each composition—conveying narrative, vulnerability, and resilience. This emphasis reflects Small's belief that the eyes are the most powerful communicators of a person's story, anchoring each work in both visual and emotional truth.
Critics have drawn comparisons between Matt Small's work and that of Damien Hirst, due to their shared interest in saturated color and unconventional materials. However, Small's influences extend further, with clear references to the psychological depth of Lucian Freud and the emotive immediacy of Marlene Dumas. Still, his work remains singular in its ability to elevate urban detritus into fine art, while foregrounding the voices and faces of the marginalized.
Since his debut solo exhibition in 2002, Small has exhibited extensively in both solo and group shows, earning recognition from galleries, curators, and collectors across the globe. His compelling blend of contemporary portraiture, street art sensibility, and social engagement continues to position him as a leading figure within the international art scene.
Beyond his technical skill, Matt Small's work carries a deeply human message. His portraits often depict socially excluded and economically disadvantaged youth, offering visibility and dignity through artistic representation. In doing so, he challenges traditional hierarchies of portraiture, replacing commissioned likenesses with authentic, emotionally resonant depictions of those who are rarely seen in fine art spaces.
Matt Small is currently represented by Vroom & Varossieau in Amsterdam.
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