Matt Copson's Animated Trilogy Explores Doom and Infantilism at KW Berlin

Matt Copson's 'Coming of Age (Trilogy)' (2020–25) presents three laser animations at KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin through 5 May. The UK-born, Los Angeles-based artist and theatre director creates cartoonish imagery with glowing colored lines, accompanied by a libretto sung by a boy soprano. The work explores themes of infantilism, mindless consumption, and accommodation to doom through allegorical storytelling. In the first animation, a baby in a crib draws another baby with a fiery paintbrush, leading to a sequence where babies kill each other and birth more infants from chest holes. The second part shows a baby catching and eating objects like books and guns as its body fills with indigestive lightning. The third features a baby on a swing lamenting the loss of its mother to fire, with a chorus referencing 'Earthly castration' and 'Entertaining damnation.' Copson's aesthetic blends 1980s graphics with nightclub lasers, presented at cosmic scale in a darkened room to powerful effect. The musical elements draw from centuries-old traditions while addressing contemporary concerns. The trilogy suggests our present moment demands an operatic response filtered through technology, operating in service of empathy. Viewers may struggle to hear the libretto clearly without printed text, potentially requiring multiple viewings. The exhibition is reviewed in the May 2025 issue of ArtReview.