Interview: Matthew Johnson // Intricacies 2011

The drawings you have done for the next exhibit at Block Projects, Melbourne, seem to mark a radical departure from your usual work..What inspired the change? “The works on paper in the exhibition are not so much of a departure from previous work but a re-iteration of earlier work that involved other forms of abstraction, sequencing,structure, and colour. In a sense this body of work encompasses the evolution and de-evolution of the grid.”

Some perceptual illusion is happening in these works, for from a distance they look man made and yet close up we see you have meticulously hand painted every mark and many of the markings are not symmetrical or mechanically neat at all….was this illusion part of your intention? ”Yes the intention was to reveal the ”imperfectness” of the human hand within these works [as meticulous as they are in there application], the visual coherency differs from viewing each artwork at close proximity to that of viewing the artwork from a distance. It is the relationship between macro and micro  visual perception that I was interested in exploring with this body of work.”

Geometry and colour. The two play a huge role in your artwork…why and how? “The use of geometry and colour has always been the underpinning structure my work. The visual language that best describes my work  is that I  remain an abstract colourist,and often my work explores a perception of ethereal forms within the natural environment  as well as imbuing the built form with a “human” sensibility. Colour to me is really a language that I employ as a sensory language it is never perceived as arbitrary. The use of the grid remains the cellular structure in which my colour language inhabits.”

Were the works time consuming to create? They almost look as detailed as hand woven rugs…. “The making of artworks as far as time is concerned is never measured in real time they kind of just evolve!!
In saying that though the works on paper are intricate and small so everything is done with miniature brushes like small icons.”

7. What is your relationship to paper? How different is working on paper to any other medium. What freedoms does it allow and what limitations? “My relationship to the medium of paper is very different to other media that I work with. I have not exhibited works on paper for quite some time now so that might be viewed as somewhat of a revelation to what the general public might understand of my broader practice. Working on paper is really an explorative process there is something fresh and revealing that lies within the materials there is an immediacy of ones intentions. Drawing really reveals the conceptual perimeters of my intent. But drawings or works on paper always remain as entities within in themselves. There aren’t really any restrictions or limitations with working on paper every material has it’s inherent qualities.”

BLOCK PROJECTS 
Matthew Johnson – Intricacies 2011
30 July – 31 September 2011

79 Stephenson Street

Cremorne 3121 VICAustralia
Tel: +61 3 9429 0660
info@blockprojects.com

www.blockprojects.com

Opening Hours
Tuesday via appointments only.

Wednesday – Friday 11-5pm.

Saturday 11-4pm

Sunday 12-4pm