Matthew Murray: Pleasure in Leisure

Matthew Murray: Pleasure in Leisure by Aline SmithsonSeptember 2, 2015

©Matthew Murray

British Photographer Matthew Murray has just released a new book, Pleasure in Leisure, published by Cafe Royal Books in an Edition of 200. His hilarious and well-seen capture of humanity at leisure around the globe shows us that humor is universal. He manages to capture juxtapositions of place and person that make us smile with recognition.

Matthew has over 14 years experience shooting campaigns for various clients, advertising agencies, features for editorials and exhibiting personal photography projects. His commercial work is paralleled by an ongoing flow of personal projects a number of which have been published in i-D Magazine, Dazed and Confused, The Observer, Colors Magazine, Port Magazine, Nosiey Music by VICE and exhibited in the UK and Internationally in either solo or group shows.

Exhibitions include ‘Ska’ Moving Image Talk, FOAM Photography Museum, Amsterdam, Holland, 2014, ‘Factor 15’ The New Art Gallery Walsall, UK 2006, group Exhibition in collaboration with Rhubarb Rhubarb, Les Rencontres d’Arles Photographie, Arles, France, 2006, Made in Britain, Huis Marseille, Foundation for Photography, Amsterdam, Holland, 2005, Knock Down Ginger, Seventy Years of Street kids, The Photographers’ Gallery, London, UK

Matthew’s work is included in the collections of a number of art institutions and private collectors. His personal work has been included in a number of advertising campaigns, exhibitions, public art exhibits and in a number of publications. 2013 saw the release of ‘Ska’, portraits presented alongside personal stories from Ska/2-Tone enthusiasts, published by Schilt Publishing and distributed by Thames and Hudson.

He is currently working on am exhibition and publication of landscape work called ‘Saddleworth Moor’ for 2017, at venues in the UK and in Amsterdam, Holland and Matthrew’s prints can be purchased directly form Gallery Vassie, Gallery for International Photography, Amsterdam.

©Matthew Murray, Paris

Pleasure in Leisure

The daily drudgery of work, chores and business and are gladly left behind in the pursuit of pleasure. Much of our pleasure comes from leisure, using our free time to indulge ourselves in the things we enjoy that make us happy and bring us together to relax and wind down. But how much of our time is free and not constrained by social pressures?

Depending on cultural differences, class, social freedoms and constraints, financial freedoms, tradition and taste influences our choices greatly. Many of us agree an annual, ‘get away from it all holiday’ is what we aspire to.

Anything from a week on the prom in Blackpool, to a sun kissed week in the Mediterranean, island hopping, sampling theme parks or even sunbathing in the garden. We all crave the same thing – happy memories.

Inspired by the traditional holiday postcard this series called ‘Pleasure in Liesure’ by Matthew Murray explores our indulgences motivated by the sunshine, sea, sand and sight seeing, from soggy away days in Blackpool, England, to the beaches in Rio De Janeiro, The Holy Land Experience theme park in Florida and everything in between…

Text by Justine Marklew