ONE WORK | Matthew Arthur Williams, ‘Soon Come’

This June, we relaunch our ONE WORK series, focusing on Matthew Arthur Williams’ ​‘Soon Come’ (2022). We will present an online screening of ​‘Soon Come’ accompanied by a recorded discussion between Matthew and David Upton, Public Programme Manager at LUX Scotland, and a newly commissioned text responding to the film by artist, curator and contemporary art historian, Eddie Chambers.

‘Soon Come’ hints at the impossibility of authoritatively archiving complex and ever-changing communities of people. It is impossible for one body of work to hold the infinite layers of identities who hold a place dear, who also hold stakes in a place. Yet, ​‘Soon Come’ tries to do just that. Using detailed images of the Staffordshire landscape that has been touched in some way by human presence or industry, it is overlaid with various voices from Matthews own family and others in the Caribbean community of Stoke-on-Trent, sharing intimate anecdotes of movement in communities across vast distances. The film spans formats including 4K digital video, 16mm analogue film, personal archival photographs, archival footage, and audio sourced from Stoke-on-Trent City Archives, Media Archive of Central England and Staffordshire Film Archive.

‘Soon Come’ was made through an anxiety of being misunderstood. Made from a fear of something being lost. There is grief and resentment, yet there is humour and joy. There is a richness in those layers that cannot be monetised. In the landscape of that home, Matthew wanted to fill it with many voices, leaving just enough space to question, what deems a thing important enough to be archived?

‘Soon Come’ was originally commissioned by Dundee Contemporary Arts as part of Matthew’s solo exhibition of the same name which ran from 10 December 2022 – 26 March 2023. The film was originally a two channel installation, however we will screen a single channel version specially made for online and cinema presentations. Read more about Matthew’s exhibition and watch an interview with Matthew on the DCA website.