Pressing Matters is a simple concept but with big impact. Ask musicians, managers and labels to donate vinyl and give them to contemporary artists to use as a blank canvas, auction the artwork and give all the money to Music Support – a grassroots charity to support those in the music industry affected by mental ill-health and/or addiction.
Think of your much-loved vinyl which we mostly destroyed in favour of shiny compact discs and now they’re gone to streaming with little left that’s tangible from the soundtracks to our loves and lives. Well here’s a little piece of music history pimped by contemporary artists to help others.
Put together by art consultant Jennifer McCormick of Helium London, who expertly guides private and corporate collectors investing in the art world, the show is on at MATCHESFASHION, 5 Carlos Place, Mayfair until 29 May 2021. Auction closes on 5 June.
Masks on, hands sanistised, ipad checked in, a splash of Ruinart and were back into the wonderful world of art openings. Why only a splash, well it was supporting an addiction charity.
One of the first to say yes to the idea was Fatboy Slim, with a very rare acetate of Gutter/Stars cut especially for his Glastonbury performance. Artist James Joyce recreated his infamous collapsed acid house smiley with a nod to Slim, aka Norman Cook, who has the largest collection of smiley ephemera in the world. The black of the design is the vinyl underneath with the grooves visible.
Shepard Fairey is a huge fan of The Clash and thought it was a no-brainer to create an art piece on a rare, signed London Calling vinyl saying we all have struggles in life but with the right support, as Joe Strummer said, “the future is unwritten”.
Favourite of the night was Will Martyr’s You Make Me Feel Whole on a test pressing of Coldplay’s Everyday Life. Will actually went to university with the band, played on the same sports team and went to their early gigs.
Will Martyr X Coldplay
Completing The Picture – You Make Me Feel Whole
Register to bid for the artworks at
www.heliumlondon.com #artforthegreatergood
Pressing Matters exhibition at the glorious townhouse showroom of MATCHESFASHION in Mayfair London
Stunning fresh red flowers echoing the branding for Pressing Matters
Our intrepid reporter Man In London
