Pairing My Fingernails

I think I’ve seen this before, where art writers pair artworks in context. Thought I’d take a stab at that little game from some pics I took when I was at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

1. Space

John Singer Sargent murals.

Sculpture suspended, wrapped in plastic. (sorry, didn’t get the name of the artist)

2. Narrative

Ancient Chinese painting on tablet

Kara Walker mural

3. Iconography

Terra cotta icons, 14th century.

A portrait of a philosopher (sorry didn’t get the title/name of artist)

4. Materiality

Closeup of a Van Gogh painting

A large cardboard box wrapped in plastic (there is a lot of construction going on at the museum, so it took me awhile to discern that yes, this is an artwork on display).

Finally, I present this painting by itself, because the question for me seems to be the same throughout art:

Paul Gauguin, D’où Venons Nous / Que Sommes Nous / Où Allons Nous

Not that what I do is done as a business, but selling a painting once in awhile does enable me the time to make more paintings. Never mind the whole “buying art is a financial investment,” I can’t possibly guarantee that. What it is simply is the strongest affirmation you can give to an artist that states you support what they are trying to do with their work – “collecting as an act of faith” as according to painter Ed Knippers. Sales also enable me to do things like pay for art supplies, expenses, and to offset the cost of my MFA program, which I begin at the end of this month.

If you’ve never owned a painting of mine, check out the list below. They are paintings I’ve had for awhile and would love to find a home for, and will take reasonable offers for them. Prices listed are suggested, but at this point I’ll take best offers! Make me an offer by e-mailing matt@matthewwhitney.com. More work is of course viewable on my website www.matthewwhitney.com. If it doesn’t say “SOLD”, it’s available for purchase.

On to the paintings!

Made New, 2008, 30″ x 40″, $500

The Juggler, 18″ x 24″, 2008, $250

Post-Human, 2009, 18″ x 24″, $300

Hidden, 2009, 18″ x 24″, $300

Estrangement: Juggler, 2009, 14″ x 10″, $100

Sick Man, 2010, 15″ x 29″, $350

Ascribe, 2009, 24″ x 30″, $300

Breakfast, 2010, 30″ x 24″, $300

Ideate, 36″ x 36″, $500

Tuesday, June 8th, 8pm:

www.theround.org

I just had one of my notorious painting moods, and threw a painting long finished back on the easel and reworked it a bit.
This painting, called Ideate, was meant to be darkly whimsical, absurd. I’d been looking at and enjoying the work of neo-expressionist painter Sandro Chia at the time. Looking over it today, I felt like I hadn’t quite accomplished capturing those essences. The application of paint was too dry, metaphorically speaking. I tinkered with it today, and I may tinker with it some more. I think I made it “worse”, but that was intended. I never could reconcile whether I thought this was a good painting in the end, but I will say I like it better now. You may totally disagree. Here are the two versions for comparison.

The updated Ideate, 36″ x 36″

And the previous version.

A small private commission I recently completed.

Ways of Seeing by John Berger.

This book took what I learned in my undergrad art history courses, and turned it completely on its head. A fascinating perspective of art and images and what they do to us. I recommend it to anyone, not just people into art.