Matt MacIntire

Hi there.

Matt here.

If you have any questions or comments, please email me: matt@macintire.net

take a look at my old website

enigmatic sculpture
I want my sculptures to appear as if they were found by some archaeological expedition, rather than fabricated in a studio. I do not want to merely copy ancient objects though. I want to fuse the hand crafted appearance of precious artifacts with the precise mechanical appearance of industrial machinery. The addition of some cryptic writing suggests some ritualistic use that blurs the apparent function and suffuses the object with an added layer of mystery.

Altering the expected scale also encourages the viewer to consider the sculpture apart from any historical reference. Combining the familiar and the mysterious is one of several ways in which I deliberately try to combine opposite qualities in my work. I also strive to combining organic forms with the geometry of mechanical objects in. Ultimately my goal is to create an object that looks familiar, but appears to come from some alternate place or time.

About My Exhibit/Performance:
On display I have six recent sculptures that showcase a range of materials and surface treatments. Even though the germ
of inspiration is quite different for each piece, I feel the set a cohesive body of work. I don’t like to limit myself to a single medium or a single methodology. Yet somehow my sculptures come out with a similar visual flavor because of how I approach my materials. I like to combine opposites in my work, and that pertains to materials, as well as forms and surfaces. Using materials with radically different working properties makes the work more visually complex, provided I can maintain an overall sense of unity and purpose.

Reconciling opposites in inspiration is just as important to me as using materials with different working properties. I deliberately combine a hand crafted sensibility with aspects of industrial manufacture. So, although portions of my work are precise and mechanical, I also want to retain tool marks made by hand and marks left by fire or weathering. By starting with forms that are recognizable and changing the scale or altering the apparent use, I hope to move that object into another realm, where familiarity blurs into elements of confusion and mystery.

Artomatic Exhibit Space and Next Time I Can be Found at my Exhibit:
9th floor in the NE corner space 160, which is on the airport side of the building

Gallery Description:
These are several of my sculptures which are on display at Artomatic. One image shows a full view of all six sculptures in my space on the 9th floor. The remaining images focus on individual pieces, with a few close ups to show details.