Matthew Rosier installation Ascendance to feature at Barnet festival

Artist Matthew Rosier will present his installation Ascendance at the Light and Flight festival in Barnet in November 2026. The festival is a major arts event celebrating local history and creativity across two weekends.

Rosier created videos for Ascendance by filming at various locations across the borough, focusing on areas with a strong sense of established community. These included Middlesex University, Barnet and Southgate College, and Unitas, a youth hub in Burnt Oak. Working with Middlesex University, a floating rig was constructed to allow participants aged 16 to 20 to hover above the ground.

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Dr Helen Bendon, deputy dean for arts and education at Middlesex University, commented on the project, stating, "The project is so inclusive of our wide creative community across the borough." Participants were drawn from diverse communities, including the Nepalese Community Centre, Art Against Knives, and various youth clubs and colleges. Members of the Barnet Educational Arts Trust (Beat) also contributed by creating a soundscape using recorded birdsong.

In addition to filming young people, Rosier recorded the stories and voices of twelve older participants. These individuals shared perspectives on their experiences and the demographic shifts within Barnet. Rosier noted that while he had lived in London for a long time, North London was less familiar to him, and he found Barnet to have a strong sense of "local community" and cultural diversity.

Rosier cited Steve McQueen’s 2021 Year 3 project as an inspiration, which displayed photographs of every Year 3 class in London. He expressed a hope that Ascendance could similarly offer a profound experience for viewers, conveying an "emotional journey" that is "funny, sad, and awe-inspiring."

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The installation aims to evoke a feeling of "rising and going forward" during a time that can feel dispiriting. Rosier hopes the project will uplift its audience and highlight human resilience and achievement. Ascendance will be unveiled on Saturday 14 November at 4:30 pm and will remain on display until Sunday 22 November. Entry to the festival and the installation is free.