Mathieu Ógan

Mathieu Ógan is an influential contemporary Anglo-French artist, who set up the London art gallery "Number Forty7", and has won numerous awards for his photographic work.

Early life

Ógan was born on the 17 February 1973, near Charing Cross in London. His mother Reneé and father Jacques were both in the art business, with Jacques working in the Royal College of Art, a widely respected art institution. His mother ran an art shop in Camden called 'A Parisian Evening' which specialised in French art, music and photographs. ["A Portrait of Modern Art - Ógan" - The Independent September 5th 2005]

Óganu grew up in London and very little else is known of his youth except that he attended LCA. His family were relatively well financed and Mathieu grew up with ease, painting, and taking photographs. ["A Portrait of Modern Art - Ógan" - The Independent, September 5th 2005]

Art and works

In 2000 Ógan released his first mainstream portfolio originally named "You'd Think I Was French" but then decided to change the name to "Let The Media Control You" - the portfolio contained over two hundred and thirty images of the diverse life that Ógan encountered in London, and famously contained images of Pearl Lowe and other indistinguishable members of the infamous Dalston and Primrose Hill sets. [Ógan discussing his work with Boris Johnston, Have I Got News For You March 2001]

It was rumoured in The Sun [Art, Rock and Heroin - John Darwin] , May 23 2001, that Ógan had slept with Kate Moss, and this accusation led to Ógan leaving London and buying a residence in Brittany. He returned to his then studio in Hackney to complete his second mainstream portfolio, predictably named "I Didn't Fuck Moss", but on his own account he changed it later to "Pictures From The Escape".

Ógan's most acclaimed picture is entitled "Noah, why hast thou forsaken me?", taken from his "Pictures From The Escape" folio, and the piece won him an award (although not an overall winning award) during the 2005 Becks Futures presented by acclaimed critic Edgar West. West is reportedly meant to have claimed that the picture was "absolute bollocks" and if he had "been judging, not presenting" he would have "burnt it, not prized it". [Documenta 12 Magazine: Modernity? no. 1 (Varia Series)ISBN-10: 3822815322]

In 2006 Paul Smith, of British band Maxïmo Park, was so inspired by one of Ógan's works, that he reportedly wrote a song based upon it, Our Velocity.

Number Forty7

On the back of this 2005 success Ógan decided to create his own gallery, Number Forty7, located in Hackney. It was originally to house only his work, however in late 2006 Ógan reputedly said he got bored of his work and hence set up a list of criteria for new art work to enter the gallery. The name Number Forty7 was inspired, apparently, by Ógan's father who thought the gallery's location would put off visitors as only the forty-seven bus went past it. ["A Portrait of Modern Art - Ógan" - The Independent September 5th 2005]

Portfolios

Up until 2007 Ógan has released two portfolios which have made the mainstream.

"Let The Media Control You"

In 2000 this folio was released, and it shows pictures from around inner London, portraying it in a vulgar and immoral way. The debauched scenes in many photos were shocking, yet Ógan claims this is what really happens. The overall tone of the folio is that of dirt and grime, and the dull and dark scenes illustrate the deprived nature of some of the city's inhabitants.

"Pictures From The Escape"

With an altogether different mood emerging from this folio it was greeted with much acclaim in 2005. The "escape" being from London to Brittany, and the pictures rarely feature any people, and focus on shapes, colours, scale, and nature. "Noah, why hath thou forsaken me?" secured Ógan the dell'Arte Prize for Surrealism, and the picture took centre stage in his gallery, Number Forty7. [Tate Modern Today June 2006] [Vitamin D (Themes) by Emma Dexter - short biography on Ógan included (ISBN-10: 0714845450)]

Personal life

Currently Ógan resides in Brittany with his partner Marie, and his cat Douglas. [Times Culture, Stephen Price - "Artists Never Change"] He also lectures at the Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art in Brittany. [ [http://www.learn4good.com/great_schools/france_bretagne_ecole_brittany_contemporary_art_courses.htm École d'art contemporain en Bretagne,Contemporary Art School in Brittany,France ] ]

Acknowledgements

London Tourist Board and the information available at Tate Modern on artists also provided a lot of knowledge on Mathieu Ógan.

References