Matthew Chambers
20 Oct - 07 Nov 2007
MATTHEW CHAMBERS
"MAVIS"
The work in MAVIS follows Chambers recent LA show, “2/6” at Angstrom gallery, and post-performance document at Honor Fraser. In the Angstrom show, Chambers set to compare his project/brand/gallery/catchall “TRUDI” as a gang locked into a world of ideals set forth by CRASS, while dealing with the realities of “Warhol’s Children” and the Los Angeles omnipresence of MS13 by way of creating the group’s squated derelict base in the gallery, the show was filled with drawings of exploits and moving into to simple decorative paintings. While the Honor Fraser show, curated by painter Kristin Calabrese, showed TRUDI learning to paint, by recreating Tracy Emin’s “Exorcism of the Last Painting I ever made”, conveniently re-titled as “Exorcism of the last painting TRUDI ever made”. With vertical billboard style paintings advertising the painters that TRUDI loves, has learned from, or ripped off.
MAVIS, moves beyond this work, beyond the group, away from brute branding and advertising, and into a sentimental look at MAVIS’s (TRUDI’s fictious leader) self imposed retreat from the imperialistic beast he had created. Echoing the disappearing existence of the collective activities of TRUDI including its small gallery space in LA’s Chinatown.
The works presented in MAVIS begin with a series of re-drawings specifically taken from 1977 New York and it’s aftermath, with an interest in the recycling of both popular culture and fine art. Beyond the naive etymology present, the drawings are a drastic departure from Chambers crowded drawings depicting life amongst the heathens.
The large scale paintings at BROADWAY 1602 take on a responsibility inherent in the creation of art objects, as Chambers moves toward an ascetic studio practice - trading monuments and fandom for work closer aligned with Godard’s misanthropic visual essays.
"MAVIS"
The work in MAVIS follows Chambers recent LA show, “2/6” at Angstrom gallery, and post-performance document at Honor Fraser. In the Angstrom show, Chambers set to compare his project/brand/gallery/catchall “TRUDI” as a gang locked into a world of ideals set forth by CRASS, while dealing with the realities of “Warhol’s Children” and the Los Angeles omnipresence of MS13 by way of creating the group’s squated derelict base in the gallery, the show was filled with drawings of exploits and moving into to simple decorative paintings. While the Honor Fraser show, curated by painter Kristin Calabrese, showed TRUDI learning to paint, by recreating Tracy Emin’s “Exorcism of the Last Painting I ever made”, conveniently re-titled as “Exorcism of the last painting TRUDI ever made”. With vertical billboard style paintings advertising the painters that TRUDI loves, has learned from, or ripped off.
MAVIS, moves beyond this work, beyond the group, away from brute branding and advertising, and into a sentimental look at MAVIS’s (TRUDI’s fictious leader) self imposed retreat from the imperialistic beast he had created. Echoing the disappearing existence of the collective activities of TRUDI including its small gallery space in LA’s Chinatown.
The works presented in MAVIS begin with a series of re-drawings specifically taken from 1977 New York and it’s aftermath, with an interest in the recycling of both popular culture and fine art. Beyond the naive etymology present, the drawings are a drastic departure from Chambers crowded drawings depicting life amongst the heathens.
The large scale paintings at BROADWAY 1602 take on a responsibility inherent in the creation of art objects, as Chambers moves toward an ascetic studio practice - trading monuments and fandom for work closer aligned with Godard’s misanthropic visual essays.