MaTthew Collings
The Matthew Collings Experience
30 August to 4 October 2025
Opening Party: Saturday 6 September 3 - 8pm
“Itʼs holistic art, projecting visions of the horror and viciousness of our distorted political leaders and mass media, the inspiration of Nature and the rhythms of the universe, and my love for the history of art since the Palaeolithic period, plus when Iʼm wandering around the house wondering why Iʼm in a certain room and not somewhere else and where I put my charger.”
- Matthew Collings
SCHOOL is pleased to present The Matthew Collings Experience an exhibition of paintings and drawings by artist, writer, critic and broadcaster Matthew Collings. In 1998 Collings introduced a generation of artists to contemporary art with his Channel 4 show This Is Modern Art alongside his books like Blimey (1997) and It Hurts (1998); Both commissioned by David Bowie. In 2020 during the Covid pandemic an initiative was set up on Instagram by artist Matthew Burrows called The Artist Support Pledge (ASP). A financial self help scheme for artists, it was so effective that Burrows was awarded an MBE. Collings decided to post his first drawing - “nervously” he states - and someone bought it. So he went on going and soon sold drawings on the ASP as quickly as they could be made, several a day. This established Collings creative voice. The drawings poured out of him and continue to do so. Historical, philosophical and pop cultural events are documented by Collings, sometimes factually sometimes not. A collection of his Beatles drawings will be made into a limited edition book that will be part of this exhibition, alongside 3 new paintings and 20 new drawings.
Speaking about his work finding such a large and diverse audience with the ASP, Collings said “The buyers were mostly other artists fulfilling their ASP pledge. Not famous established ones. No one at that level ever did the ASP, but they saw it on their Insta feeds, and so I found myself selling to them. Tracey Emin bought loads, and then loads of paintings, as well. A generosity that really encouraged me. Art bosses, like curators and dealers and museum people, also bought some. And also my buyers were ordinary people who were into art without necessarily being involved with the art world.”
Most drawings sold instantly, while others took longer. “Ones lying around too long depressed me, so I altered them, and then they sold. But I couldnʼt tell if it was the sprucing up, or just that in such a heavy flow of Instagram posts the right buyer for that image hadnʼt noticed it the first time around. All I knew was that I needed to make the drawings tell whatever art historical story they were telling, and be an attractive, dynamic, visual structure. And the first thing, the story, came easy. While the second, visual convincingness, required perseverance.”
Collings draws subjects besides art which he still considers relevant. He states “Because art can be political and historically religion comes into it a lot and it gets ideas from other cultural forms, I draw politics, Jesus, rock music, authors and poets and playwrights and philosophers, as well as actual artists.” The drawings can go anywhere but thereʼs a recurring cast of about 20 famous figures from across time, and he also draws scenes of his own life. Thereʼs no guarantee anyone will do what they really did, even himself. “I contrast straightforward and un-straightforward. Hilma af Klint might appear in a seance or in The Shining. Ultimately, the difference between drawings that depict real things (Eva Hesse) and ones that depict lies (Kitaj was abstract) is not truth and lies but truth and other ways of getting to truth. I suppose in terms of a history of art that isnʼt too complicated, it might be bewildering if artists arenʼt always in the picture or when they are whatʼs said isnʼt factual. I hope not. I felt from so many sales that I was being given permission to open the art story right up. I hope itʼs true.”
Matthew Collings will be hosting weekly tours of his exhibition. These are free to enter and open to all. Saturday 6 September - 4pm
Saturday 13 September- 4pm
Saturday 20 September - 4pm
Saturday 27 September - 4pm
Saturday 4 October - 4pm followed by closing drinks