Thursday 20th March
6pm
£12pp
Book via Eventbrite
No Holds Barred reaches into the remarkable life of Matthew Lanyon, the late Cornish artist whose reclusive, comedic disposition disguised a fierce dedication to art, powered by learning, love and loss. He was the third child of Peter Lanyon, the internationally acclaimed modernist painter from St Ives who died tragically following a gliding accident in the summer of Matthew’s 13th birthday, leaving six children.
This sensual and visually stunning film creates a rare magic from Matthew’s own words and paintings, his rich collection of unseen short films and recordings, and the breath-taking geology of West Cornwall. Matthew’s close family, collectors and collaborators speak in newly filmed interviews about a complex man with visionary talent, for whom art and life were one.
‘No Holds Barred’ speaks with authenticity, humour and love about his intimate relationship with contemporary Cornwall, whilst making explicit the problematic nature of what he sometimes called the disneyfication of its history and culture.
It is an extraordinary filmic achievement with an epic feel, a love story and an important magical piece about working as a multi-media artist and craftsman in a remote place’.
The film raises the question of how to manage the legacy of an artist who died unexpectedly at the height of his powers. Judith Lanyon, Matthew’s widow, provides a rare insight into the journey of preserving and continuing an artist’s legacy in their absence. This labour of love is generously explored in this intimate portrayal of the artist as a cultural figure, but also as partner, brother, father and friend.
This award-winning collaboration with Barbara Santi, an experienced, sensitive film maker based in West Cornwall has produced something unusual, ambitious, insightful and deeply moving.
“Sometimes when you’ve given up hope, magic happens, thank you so much for this film.” Audience feedback
Barbara Santi is an award winning documentary filmmaker/producer using film and digital media for positive social change. She has made documentary films for Channel 4 and Carlton TV among others and toured the length and breadth of Cornwall promoting film in rural settings. Her first professional job was at the prestigious Working Title Films (1994 – 1997). She moved to West Cornwall in 1997. In 2006 she set up awen productions CIC with two other filmmakers. At the heart of her work is to raise under-represented people’s voices through film. Her most recent documentary, King for a Day, is being distributed by the accomplished DER (Documentary Educational Resources) in the USA.
Judith Lanyon is Matthew’s wife and continues to actively engage with his legacy. She has supported his art practice since 2009, writing about his life and art with his encouragement and organizing/curating exhibitions of his work in Ireland and the UK since his death. She is currently Director of the Matthew Lanyon Archive. She previously specialised in adult education, dementia care, and business planning/project management for London based not for profit organisations. Her book Homework published by the Centre for Policy on Ageing was the first of its kind for practitioners in the UK care home sector.