Mat Collishaw has been commissioned to research and make work in response to the photography archive at the Library of Birmingham. Following a period of research he will create a new work as an edition that can be purchased.

Collishaw makes alluring, poetic and shocking work with a visual language that embraces diverse media. Themes and subjects from histories and religion are explored, often the darker side of nature and human character, and yet the work is beautiful and awe-inspiring.

He is interested in the history of photography, in its subjects, techniques and machinery and often references histories in his work, in particular the Victorian period. It is therefore apt that he has been invited to respond to the archive which is rich in photography from the earliest period.

Born in Nottingham (1966), Collishaw studied at Goldsmiths College of Art. He took part in the now legendary Freeze exhibition, curated by Damien Hirst, at Surrey Docks in London in 1988 exhibiting the celebrated Bullet Hole. He became known for brutal, confrontational and challenging work. Over the past decade, his work has been exhibited in numerous solo shows around the world, including; Cohen Gallery, New York, Camden Arts Centre, London, Freud Museum, London, Museum of Contemporary Art Warsaw, Pino Pascali Museum Foundation, Bari, Italy and the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.

A co-commission GRAIN, Library of Birmingham and The New Art Gallery Walsall.

Image Credit: The Poisoned Page, 2013 – C-type photograph