Matt Duffin
October 16 - Nov 15, 2008
The upcoming exhibition "Nightshift" at Garson Baker Fine Art represents Matt Duffin's first solo show in New York. This compulsively, meticulous artist creates a world of extended twilight in the darkened spaces of reality.
Duffin's new work is an attempt to depict daily struggle and how to cope with some of his darkest fears, "most of which revolve around losing the tenuous hold on my dreamy, gratifying lifestyle.", says Duffin. The scenarios range from a propped-up bed pursued by a thirsty, empty cash register to a change of hapless, ordinary clothes being pulled toward an abyss by a group of overly-starched suit coats. Duffin states, "I find that making such work is a catharsis of sorts. While I don't get to purge myself of these fears, I at least get to put them on the table and have a good laugh at the ridiculous nature of how they've been portrayed."
Duffin's been attracted to the dark for as long as he can remember. Childhood memories conjure up images of a theater stage, where the heightened movements of lights and shadows and the solitude, stir feelings of vulnerability and fascination. Much of his work resembles a theatre set. Void of people, the artifacts and props take on a life of their own. There is a sense of a back story, a play ready to unfold, a place ready for the viewer's imagination to take hold.
The works on view in "Nightshift" comprise poignant examples of the artist's unique imagination and sense of nostalgia Matt Duffin creates pieces that represent his inner self in response to the environment around him. Political satires paralleled with personal struggles, reflect the tedious nature of his works. Starting out with a white illustration board, Duffin begins to layer black pigmented wax onto the sterile white surface. Using tools employed by dentists, he roughs-out images, scraping them down to the realism he seeks. The technicality of his detail, allows him to obsess with his process and concept.
Matt Duffin was born in 1968 and grew up in Houston, Texas. He studied architecture, but never practiced as an architect. Instead, he chose to explore the more human themes of solitude and irony through art. His medium has evolved from charcoal to encaustic wax, but he continues to dwell in the realm of dark recesses and stark contrasts. He has lived in Spain, Costa Rica, and Taos, New Mexico and currently resides in northern California with his wife and two small children.
Recent solo and group exhibitions include, Koelsch Gallery, Houston, TX., November 2007 (solo) Nelson Macker Fine Art, Port Chester, N.Y., May 2007 (solo), Small Wonders, Garson Baker Fine Art, NY, NY. June 2008(group) Melt My Art: Encaustic Expressions, Bakersfield Museum of Art,Bakersfield, CA., May 2008 (group)
Selected collections include, The Crocker Art Museum (Sacramento, CA), Progressive Corporation (Cleveland, OH), The Tullman Collection of Contemporary Art (Chicago, IL) and Roll International Corporation (Los Angeles, CA).
