Freed From Necessity: Matthew Speedy and Halo Lahnert

Runs / July 7 – 30, 2023

Reception / Friday, July 7, 6-10 PM

Hours: Sat-Sun from 2-6 PM

This July Grizzly Grizzly presents Freed From Necessity, a two-person art exhibition featuring the work of Philadelphia-based sculptor Matthew Speedy and interdisciplinary artist Halo Lahnert. Speedy's sculptures and Lahnert's sketched diagrams challenge preconceptions about technology and human interaction, shedding light on the overwhelming presence of data in our lives and its impact on behavior. Speedy and Lahnert create an energetic space that sparks reflection, invites viewers to reevaluate our perceived necessities, particularly technology, and envision a utopian society where comprehending information systems seamlessly integrates into our imaginative realms.

Speedy's work delves into the balance between technology and existence. He believes we perpetually inhabit the twilight of existence where each new technological advancement is seen as the final one, hinting at an imminent end. Drawing rules from role-playing games and insights from climate reports, Speedy constructs a mythology that navigates these turbulent times. Seeking harmony between technology and the organic cycles of existence, he urges us to seize the precious moments we still have.

Visitors are greeted by Speedy's installations—metal and plastic structures reminiscent of abandoned machines undergoing regeneration or degeneration. Composed of steel frames, draping fabric, cast and welded aluminum skeletons, organic plastic vines, fuel lines, brass tools, and cast resin hands, these human-sized structures evoke a sense of assimilation and transformation.

Lahnert draws inspiration from the human experience, exploring the allure of enclosed information systems like cloisters and intimate group chats. In today's tech-driven world, maintaining focus is challenging. Lahnert believes that cultivating a mindful relationship with technology will contribute to a brighter future. Emphasizing spiritual practices and meaningful time spent with loved ones, Lahnert envisions shared energetic spaces and collective purpose as the foundations of their utopian ideal.

Lahnert's contributions include expansive winged drawings and a series of compact Portable Network Graphic commentaries. Made with colored pencils on dura-lar, the diagrams are framed with paper maché and secured with hand-carved nail heads. These handmade pieces evoke childhood memories, domesticity, and ancient cultures while embracing activism and addressing their technological concerns about information accumulation and transmission. Playful yet introspective, their work reflects our contemporary zeitgeist.

Artist Bios

Matthew Speedy is an artist and educator based in Philadelphia. He makes work that explores depictions of labor in science fiction, ongoing ecological crises, and how to productively worry about the future. His choice of materials require him to engage with the environment, from his backyard, climate region, or local supercluster. Speedy often uses humor and the fantastic in his work to connect disparate ideas and lore. He also co-runs INFORMATION, a gallery and project space in Port Richmond, Philadelphia. Speedy's work has been exhibited both locally and internationally, including venues such as the Woodmere Museum of Art (PA), Victori+Mo Gallery (NY), Deli Projects (Basel, Switzerland), and A plus A Gallery (Venice, Italy).

Halo Lahnert explores the behavior of internal and external images. Like all individuals, Lahnert involuntarily generates images through their human nervous system, a practice rooted in our species for over 30,000 years in the form of dreams, hallucinations, and visions. Lahnert's fascination with image-making predates their awareness of this fact, but it retrospectively validates their exploration. Their work invites viewers to contemplate their own capacity for internal image creation while engaging with the drawings. Lahnert's artwork has been exhibited at venues such as the Hallie Ford Museum of Art (OR), the American Mountaineering Museum (CO), and the Davinci Art Alliance (PA). Their work has also been published in various publications, including ANMLY, Floromancy, and Versify Vol. 3. As a 2020-21 Luce Scholar based in Taipei, Lahnert holds an MFA in Fiber and Materials Studies from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture.