Removed from the Eyes of Strangers
London, UK

7 January - 6 February 2010

Rachel Goodyear, Matt Lippiatt, Wendy Mayer, Pete Smith

Removed from the Eyes of Strangers brings the work of four emerging British artists to MRA Project Space. This is the final leg of the international exhibition, following a tour of Galleri Andersson/Sandström in Umeå, northern Sweden, and Co-Lab. in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The participating artists have been selected by Matt Roberts Arts in response to an ongoing interest in the work of Sigmund Freud, and have used their research into Freud’s essay ‘Das Unheimlich’ to inspire a new body of work for this exhibition.

Freud used the term ‘unheimlich’ to explain the phenomenon that occurs when ideas and feelings from childhood which have been repressed are suddenly reawakened, and the familiar becomes ‘unheimlich’ or uncanny. The artists in Removed from the Eyes of Strangers subtly alter domestic objects to reveal how we can still be terrorised by the slightest shift in our perceptions.

Rachel Goodyear’s soft hand-drawn visions of figures, inanimate objects and violent images of animals create an unfamiliar landscape forcing the viewer to readdress their own experience of suburban life.
Matt Lippiatt’s site sensitive videos and installations directly link memories of specific locations to the uncanny, exploring the notion of artists as social outsiders, where the connection between genius and insanity is blurred.
Wendy Mayer’s work centres around the evolution of the self. Exploring perceptions of the ageing process to embrace her interest in the uncanny, she utilises dolls and figurines to project images of herself that represents various stages of her evolving psyche.
Pete Smith’s human forms mechanically mimic the shadowy patterns of everyday rituals grown from memories of his childhood and his experience of working in menial roles or on factory floors.

Click here to download the Removed from the Eyes of Strangers evaluation report.