Giving new work a title is not an easy task for me. It’s usually the last part to happen—just after I photograph the piece. I’m genuinely surprised when people tell me they like the titles, and often at a loss when they want to know more about them.
I really like the James Blake reference! It happened exactly the same with me, the first time I heard it, I was like i don’t know… but then i heard this version from KEXP live that totally changed my perspective, and somehow made me connect, today I love that song! Your work is awesome Matt! I really laughed with “that thing that eats cars”🤣🤣
1. I love it. It *absolutely* evokes those things that eat cars. The Algorithm apparently knew that I loved those things well before I did, because it regularly serves me up videos of them impossibly devouring all manner of things: folding chairs, hot water heaters, tires, Cold War-era steel office desks, bowling balls, other car-devouring devices. Remarkable. (Idea for the TikTok brainstorming list: Feed a version of this piece into one of them?)
2. AYE AYEs! You must be a Douglas Adams fan. Or at least you must have been a fan as a precocious 5th grader. I'm a precocious 48 year old, so my favorite Douglas Adams book is Last Chance to See, the nonfiction book he wrote about traveling around the world attempting to see (and write about) several endangered species before they disappeared forever. The aye aye is the prologue, and it's the story that inspired the rest of the project. That book unlocked my understanding of so many things, most notably evolution, natural selection, and bureaucracy. In the years since the book came out, the Yangtze river dolphin has gone extinct and Douglas Adams has died. So that's a drag. But his friend Stephen Fry co-wrote a sequel and starred in a follow-up BBC documentary series a few years back that offered some hope.
3. I am terrible at titles and it humbles or shames me, depending on the project. I had to submit some snappy titles for summer camps today, and I was stressed out about it. I outsourced the task to our mutual friend Amy, who cranked them out in moments with ease.
I really like the idea of "musical searching action"--would you like to come to the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments for a little tour of strings, things, keys, and such...?? There is a rhythmn to the place that might surely resonate in your work...
Love your work. This one looks like a paper shredder to me. You and your daughter have to check out the videos by “amateur biologist” Ze Frank. His voice is often mistaken for Morgan Freeman and his short episode on the aye-aye is one of my favorites. I think you would both enjoy going down the rabbit hole with his exploration of odd animals and behaviors.
Love hearing the explanation of the titles. They sometimes unfortunately make or break a piece mentally…no pressure 🤪
Powerful new work. Forceful and playful at the same time. It would probably hit me a bit differently in white or light blue. The square outer dimensions play a part. The piece can evoke an odd sense of unity -- fingers lacing together, the sides of a zipper mating, gears meshing. Next breath it seems menacing -- intersecting rows of shouldered rifles, clashing swords, arms upraised in salute moving in opposite directions. And yes, names matter." Arrangement in Grey and Black #1"hits us in a radically different way than "Whistler's Mother." Lake of the Clouds in Michigan's Porcupine Mountains was once known as Carp Lake.
Loving the new harder line direction with this "car shredder". It has a nice Louise Nevelson vibe. My daughter also taught me about the Aye-aye. Hooray for Wild Kratts!
I thought on first look it was too uniform across it, but then looked at other pictures, how light plays with it and your exquisite writing and was blown away. Though the aye-aye was weird. If it is falling into a black hole that just happens to be my consciousness. Thank you for sharing. Once again that was lovely.
I really love this piece Matt!! I would add this to my mini collection of your work in a heartbeat. I can imagine each piece moving in unison like piano hammers or pistons in an engine!! So looking forward to seeing where you take this.
You always wear your heart on your sleeve and look for the common good in everything you post, such wonderful traits and ones I have always looked for in my friends!
The aye-aye blew my mind and those of my two small boys too. I will check out Ze Frank too (thanks Jessica).
Totally know what you mean about the wonderful things that pop out of kids’ mouths, mine have shared some classics over the years. So great that you can imprint that forever into your work.
Keep up the good work (as you always do) and hope to hop across the pond to meet you in person one day.
I really like the James Blake reference! It happened exactly the same with me, the first time I heard it, I was like i don’t know… but then i heard this version from KEXP live that totally changed my perspective, and somehow made me connect, today I love that song! Your work is awesome Matt! I really laughed with “that thing that eats cars”🤣🤣
I like it - and liked it even more after reading your thoughts about it.
I love the way you share your experiences through art and the way you talk about art. I really enjoy your emails. Please keep 'em coming.
1. I love it. It *absolutely* evokes those things that eat cars. The Algorithm apparently knew that I loved those things well before I did, because it regularly serves me up videos of them impossibly devouring all manner of things: folding chairs, hot water heaters, tires, Cold War-era steel office desks, bowling balls, other car-devouring devices. Remarkable. (Idea for the TikTok brainstorming list: Feed a version of this piece into one of them?)
2. AYE AYEs! You must be a Douglas Adams fan. Or at least you must have been a fan as a precocious 5th grader. I'm a precocious 48 year old, so my favorite Douglas Adams book is Last Chance to See, the nonfiction book he wrote about traveling around the world attempting to see (and write about) several endangered species before they disappeared forever. The aye aye is the prologue, and it's the story that inspired the rest of the project. That book unlocked my understanding of so many things, most notably evolution, natural selection, and bureaucracy. In the years since the book came out, the Yangtze river dolphin has gone extinct and Douglas Adams has died. So that's a drag. But his friend Stephen Fry co-wrote a sequel and starred in a follow-up BBC documentary series a few years back that offered some hope.
3. I am terrible at titles and it humbles or shames me, depending on the project. I had to submit some snappy titles for summer camps today, and I was stressed out about it. I outsourced the task to our mutual friend Amy, who cranked them out in moments with ease.
I really like the idea of "musical searching action"--would you like to come to the Stearns Collection of Musical Instruments for a little tour of strings, things, keys, and such...?? There is a rhythmn to the place that might surely resonate in your work...
Love your work. This one looks like a paper shredder to me. You and your daughter have to check out the videos by “amateur biologist” Ze Frank. His voice is often mistaken for Morgan Freeman and his short episode on the aye-aye is one of my favorites. I think you would both enjoy going down the rabbit hole with his exploration of odd animals and behaviors.
Love hearing the explanation of the titles. They sometimes unfortunately make or break a piece mentally…no pressure 🤪
Powerful new work. Forceful and playful at the same time. It would probably hit me a bit differently in white or light blue. The square outer dimensions play a part. The piece can evoke an odd sense of unity -- fingers lacing together, the sides of a zipper mating, gears meshing. Next breath it seems menacing -- intersecting rows of shouldered rifles, clashing swords, arms upraised in salute moving in opposite directions. And yes, names matter." Arrangement in Grey and Black #1"hits us in a radically different way than "Whistler's Mother." Lake of the Clouds in Michigan's Porcupine Mountains was once known as Carp Lake.
Loving the new harder line direction with this "car shredder". It has a nice Louise Nevelson vibe. My daughter also taught me about the Aye-aye. Hooray for Wild Kratts!
As i think on it, the work reminds me of a series of insides of pianos...
I thought on first look it was too uniform across it, but then looked at other pictures, how light plays with it and your exquisite writing and was blown away. Though the aye-aye was weird. If it is falling into a black hole that just happens to be my consciousness. Thank you for sharing. Once again that was lovely.
I like the piece.
I really love this piece Matt!! I would add this to my mini collection of your work in a heartbeat. I can imagine each piece moving in unison like piano hammers or pistons in an engine!! So looking forward to seeing where you take this.
You always wear your heart on your sleeve and look for the common good in everything you post, such wonderful traits and ones I have always looked for in my friends!
The aye-aye blew my mind and those of my two small boys too. I will check out Ze Frank too (thanks Jessica).
Totally know what you mean about the wonderful things that pop out of kids’ mouths, mine have shared some classics over the years. So great that you can imprint that forever into your work.
Keep up the good work (as you always do) and hope to hop across the pond to meet you in person one day.