This will be Juan Cruz’s second exhibition at Matt’s Gallery.

Portrait of a Sculptor takes as its starting point a painting by Velasquez in the Prado, Madrid: The Portrait of Juan Martínez Montañés, Catalogue Number: Prado 1194. Painted in Sevilla circa 1648.

Using the spaces of Gallery 2 and the bookshop/reading area, Cruz has employed text, photography, video and architectural interventions to make an exhibition that both comments upon and adopts the reflexive nature of the painting.

A 12 page illustrated booklet will be published to accompany the exhibition, this will be free to all visitors. Since his first exhibition at Matt's Gallery - Sancti Petri, 1998 (which was sited in Gallery 1) -  Cruz has exhibited in various National and International venues.

During the Summer Cruz will also be exhibiting at Witte de With, Rotterdam; Serralves Foundation, Porto; Kunstverein Bregens and the Melbourne Festival. Juan Cruz is currently a recipient of a Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Artists.

This exhibition has been generously supported by The Henry Moore Foundation. The booklet has been published with the generous support of Goldsmiths College, University of London.