“Essentially, I make my art not to tell things, but instead to find something; to build up a relationship to the painting that feels necessary and expansive. To “Not know” seems the space from which we can directly encounter the world, less encumbered if not totally free, from our own preconceived thoughts and ideas. I try and meet my paintings in this manner—with fresh eyes and an unvarnished wonder.” - Matthew bourbon

This group of paintings is a representative gathering of Matthew’s recent efforts to streamline his work without giving up on visual complexity. In each artwork he is interested in rendering something simple that can hold many associations and potential avenues of exploration. The central object is loose referent to many things, such as the human body, landscape, architecture, industrial and handmade objects. Matthew thinks of his paintings as fragments of his experience, thoughts, affect and even philosophies that are corralled within the basic shapes and patterned visual language portrayed.

Despite tangible associations to things and ideas, Matthew begins each new painting with a healthy dose of not knowing. The creation of the initial shapes that he renders, the method of applying paint, and creating the mood of the paintings is found in the process. After a few opening marks, he feels pulled to lead the paintings towards something felt or thought. There is a call and response between what Matthew intended and what actually happens on the surface.