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He began working with found materials because, when he moved to New York,
he couldn’t afford anything other than what he found walking around the city.
Three decades later, he uses them by choice rather than necessity. “There’s an
indescribable aesthetic quality to something that someone else decided was
worthless but that still has usefulness.” The materials also add an
autobiographical dimension to his work, because each object reminds him of the
circumstances in which he found it. “I don’t just go out with the intention of
looking for materials, but use things I find when I’m on my way someplace. I’ve
been late for appointments because I’ll come across something I need to take
home.” Matthew prefers not to explain his work in detail. “A friend had one
of my pieces in his apartment, and once an electrician came to do some work.
After he finished, my friend went to get his checkbook and when he came back,
the guy was standing in front of my work. ‘What the heck is this?’ he said. I
consider his curiosity the greatest compliment I could get.”
(c) “El Greco Plays Lotto” gets its name from a reproduction
of the Spanish master’s work Matthew found in a 70-year-old art magazine. While
he doesn’t like painting on canvas, he often uses a framed one in his work
because he finds the structure of the wood and material beautiful in
itself.
(d) The primary components of “Dice” are side pieces from old
drawers. “The wood’s so beautiful; not many people do dovetailing anymore.”
(e) “Water Cap Game” shows Matthew’s playful side—it’s an actual toss
game.
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