Matt Williams

Matt Williams is an early-career artist trapped in a mid-career artist’s body. Raised in suburbia, both in the US and in Europe, his work is strongly influenced by the smooth edges and quiet dramas that tend to lurk in such places. He is currently at work on his graduate thesis at the Rhode Island School of Design. He lives and works in Boston.

AGENCY
AGENCY was born of a paradox of frustration. I was tired of the slavish devotion to the pristine photographic print I was running into in art-school. I was also interested in making an art object that unlike a photograph, wasn’t infinitely reproducible. I wanted to, at the same time, both degrade and exalt my work. AGENCY is the result.

The work explores themes of loss, alienation, loneliness and represents a search for order and control. As such it spends time contemplating the sense of isolation we can feel acutely whether we inhabit urban, suburban or rural space.

The quiet mood and empty spaces, sometimes amplified by the cover of night, speak directly to the lack of connection we can have to our everyday lives and surroundings. Inherent in that reality lies another paradox. We dream of beauty and adventure and yet inhabit grimy corners and small lives.

If you want to see more of Matt’s work, check out his website.