INNER CITY CIRCUS

Matt contracted the potentially fatal disease Meningitis at the age of 15. In a fevered state and hallucinating, Matt experienced a series of repetitive dreams, at times comforted by the pleasant content and then disturbed by the horrors of his own subconscious. This collection of urban inspired paintings builds on these recurring themes, with reference to the modern world of 24-hour advertising, whilst also reflecting the impact of Matt's 24-hour, coma-induced, stream of imagery.

Billboard posters, found imagery, stencilling, paint, papers, varnishes and powders are amongst the materials and techniques used to create this body of work. Many paintings use marble dust from a grave stone engraver to reflect a sense of mortality.

Matt intends to take the viewer on a dreamlike journey through the collection of paintings: at times feeling comforted and uplifted by familiar forms whilst at other times feeling a sense of unease or discomfort. Monkeys often appear representing chaos and butterflies as a symbol of rebirth.

Beauty and decay. Life and death. Light and dark. Dreams and nightmares. These are the things that keep Matt awake (painting) at night.

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My Old Man and the Sea