For his exhibition at The Renaissance Society—the artist’s first solo museum show—Berlin–based Matt Saunders will present several interrelated new works. In drawings, paintings, short films, and photographs, Saunders recasts images, often taken from film or television, into new narratives about portraiture and spectatorship. At the same time, he pushes boundaries between media to tell a parallel story of how images are made, are repeated, and are embodied in materials. At the Renaissance Society, Saunders will debut a new multichannel animated film, which moves through a cycle of scenes and notations. A new series of photographs made from drawn and painted “negatives” comprises a kind of ersatz portrait gallery, flush with a diverse cast of characters – from workers biking through the streets of Berlin to an early Los Alamos scientist, from a largely forgotten East German actress to the highest paid British television actor of the ’60s. As a group, they make a broken, associative record of twentieth-century lives.

The opening reception will be on February 28, 2010, from 4 to 6 pm. There will be a discussion with the artist from 5 to 6 pm.

About The Renaissance Society
The Renaissance Society has earned its reputation as one of the premier cultural institutions for leading-edge contemporary art in the United States through its longstanding commitment to presenting work by the most challenging and compelling artists of the day. Many of these exhibitions represent the artists’ national premieres, and many have included newly commissioned work. The museum offers educational programs that supplement the exhibition schedule, including concerts, lectures and readings.

The Renaissance Society is located on the campus of the University of Chicago, in Cobb Hall, on the fourth floor. It is open Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Admission is free. Visit www.renaissancesociety.org to learn more about the exhibitions and events.

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