MATT SMALL (UK)

Primarily a painter, London based Small has a strong, compelling style, often choosing discarded objects like car bonnets or old signs instead of canvas for his work. “The theme of my work is young, dispossessed people: individuals who feel undervalued, who don’t have a voice, who get looked over.”

Small explains how the urban debris he paints on becomes symbolic of the feeling of being without value: “I thought it’d be interesting to connect the two – that oven door, that shelving unit, that piece of trash to someone – I don’t see it like that, I see that it can be something beautiful and worthwhile. That’s how I see our young people too. Let’s look at their potential, at the hope that’s in all of them

Established in 2020 The Moniker Foundation was created to celebrate the world of Urban and New Contemporary art. The foundation works to build the reputation of Urban and New Contemporary art with the public and to support artists.

It does this through public displays of art, the commission of original artworks, sculpture and installations and the creation of educational programmes and links. The foundation further acts to document and preserve the origins and history of Urban and New Contemporary art to build understanding and appreciation.

• Build a collection that documents Urban and New Contemporary art

• Create a public showcase for the breadth of Urban and New Contemporary art

• Help to support and develop the artists, careers and creative practices

• Develop educational resources for artists, curators and art collectors

• Establish dialogue with our network of leading figures within Urban and New Contemporary art

• Document the growth and development of Urban, Street, Graffiti and New Contemporary art

• Create a platform for the Moniker Collection to be loved, admired and engaged with

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Over the coming years, the Moniker Foundation will continue to build on a 10 year legacy of Moniker Art Fair to support and encourage the growth of the contemporary art market, being a leading supporter to the artists, galleries and curators that have helped develop the subculture.