Happy Union

Matt Smith is an artist and curator. He is interested in the way collections in museums are displayed and interpreted to create a particular view of the past. His work explores how museum collections can be re-framed from an LGBT+ perspective. ‘Happy Union’ was made in response to the legalisation of gay marriage in 2013. For it, Smith replaced the head of a female figure on a decorative figurine with a male head to create a same-sex couple. Smith’s practice exemplifies how contemporary artists can use their practice to give a voice and visibility to LGBT+ artists and history within collections that have typically overlooked or supressed queer histories and voices.