Matt Richie (not the famous Britt painter) is a talented American artist who’s getting his first solo show at the Autobody gallery in Alameda. It will feature works from all the mediums and styles he works in & there will be about 300 pieces in this show.
The exhibition will feature a variety of works ranging from minutely detailed drawings that elicit Renaissance comparisons with Durer and Michelangelo, to brightly colored assemblages that carry complicated meaning within their formal arrangement. A cast of recurring characters appear throughout the artwork including a plump little rat, symbolic images of the artist himself, flying toasters, hand grenades and Michael Jackson alongside numbers and text which in their specificity allude to a greater narrative.
For this show Matt136 will be producing a site-specific mural within the space which will tie in with the multiple other elements occupying the gallery walls. As the viewer attempts to take in the installation as a whole, this rhythm will be interrupted as the eye alights on individual art pieces that captivate through charm and idiosyncrasy.
This skate lover’s work is obsessive and extremely focused but retains a playful, almost cartoon-like quality that allows Matt136 to address complicated personal and social issues while still seducing his audience. Drowning drunks, insecure parents and a variety of levels of frustration are all mirrored in his characters, as is a celebration of the diversity of emotions and challenges that face both the artist and his audience.
The exhibition goes from January 8th until February 7th, 2010. There will be an opening reception the day before from 7:00pm – 10:00pm, so if you pass by California … you know what to visit!
