Coming Of Age. Age Of Coming. Of Coming Age

“I’m interested in using the gallery as a theatrical space and attempting to create a living character that evokes a response.” — Matt Copson

From a void, a baby emerges, guided by an anonymous hand. This baby is the protagonist of Matt Copson’s (b. 1992, UK) Coming of Age trilogy, a theatrical installation in which an infant embodies insatiable desire: he wants to grow, leave a legacy, be adored, entertain, and be entertained. He seeks self-betterment, yet remains unable to escape his inevitable self-destruction.

Copson’s animated bildungsroman is a 30-minute operatic work told through laser-projected drawings, staged in KW’s main hall, turned into a theatre. Each of the three walls features one act of the trilogy—Coming of Age, Age of Coming, and Of Coming Age. The Baby moves between them, leaving behind props that remain in place, anticipating his return. The work’s libretto, co-written with musician Caroline Polachek, is sung by a boy soprano.

On the ground floor, visitors are greeted by Thank You (2025), a new commission featuring the same protagonist. Here, the Baby directly addresses the audience, expressing gratitude for their presence and attention. Together, these monumental yet ephemeral works explore the sense and nonsense of human existence, mirroring humanity’s relentless drive, inherent vanity, and destructive desires for endless growth.

Coming of Age. Age of Coming. Of Coming Age marks Matt Copson’s first institutional solo exhibition. In his hybrid practice—drawing from pop culture, myths, ancient philosophy, and medieval folklore—Copson explores existential questions and contemporary subjectivity, which he sees as increasingly defined by constant flux, spectacle, and the economies of attention.

Curator: Emma Enderby
Assistant Curator: Lara Scherrieble