Matthew Mark (MCM)
Artist Matthew Mark (MCM) hails from the great white north of Canada. Eloquently, MCM is a visual artist / painter in contemporary art from this new age “METAMODERNISM” coined by cultural theorists Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker. It is what comes after the post modernism era for the 2020’s beyond and moving forward in the arts. This consists of technological breakthroughs that the visual art world will need to continue to adapt & evolve around as society keeps advancing. To continue with past art genres and traditions but exploring and expanding it even further from those past concepts or ideas while merging and reconstructing them with whats currently going on in our world at present time. These realms include exploring and using the digital and social media, virtual & mixed realities, A.I, robotics, and the post industrial information age. These are the reasons for this emergence of metamodernism. As we continue, artist MCM is multifaceted in his discipline and art practice. His experiences of growing up in western Canada is comprised throughout his artwork. When it comes to the visual arts, Matthew focuses on his own style of painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and installation. He observes light and dark themes and everything else in between. MCM experiments with mediums such as acrylics, charcoal, graphite, ink, and sculpturing. Art genre influences of expressionism and fauvism are both interwoven together. Articulated through the distinct artistic idealization being portrayed throughout his work with a touch of spontaneity, playfulness and rawness. It is a true indication of the artist being creative, honest, sincere, passionate, authentic, real, and free. It captivates the mind and leaves room for some ambiguity to be thought about by using our imagination when being immersed in MCM art works. The works range from figurative, abstract and mixed media art. As of late MCM has taken his art across Canada showcasing his work. His art has been exhibited in certain places so far such as in “Munich”Germany, “Vienna" “Austria, “London” England, “ Rome, Milan,& Venice” Italy , San Diego (USA), Miami (USA), Madrid (Spain), Paris “France”, and has made a vast impression being a part of a digital art exhibition held in New York City at Times Square.
“When I make art, I try to think about it as something separate from the normal world - as if art is a world of its own. My goal is to create artwork that is meaningful, powerful, influential, symbolic and will have an impact in the world. I explore humanity through my thoughts, feelings, and emotions subjectively. I take what I have seen, heard, read about, or experienced and incorporate these elements expressively back into my art. I delve into the realms of the light and dark and everything else in between. My art is disclosing what is already known and also, the Unknown..
Matthew, your practice unfolds within the horizon of metamodernism, where sincerity and irony, past and future, digital innovation and tactile immediacy move in harmonious dialogue. Where do you feel this dynamic resonance emerges most powerfully in your work, in your materials, in your conceptual vision, or in the imaginative space you open for the viewer?
After giving it some thought, I strongly feel that this type of dynamic is expressed strongly as it resonates powerfully through one of my latest art pieces “American Dark.” The irony and sincerity are conveyed and it’s all there to be disclosed for the viewers. The fact that this is an appropriation and homage of the original painting “American Gothic” painted by artist Grant Wood during the modernism era in 1930. During that time the world was going through a great depression, recovering from the first World War and other corruptions such as bootlegging. It shows a depiction of a farming couple living in such a moody & uncertain time. Fast forward to one hundred years later and we are going through the same similar problems and certain issues that are still not fully resolved. Wars, poverty, racism, conflict, violence, pandemic, famine, homelessness, injustices, and the everyday struggle of the average blue-collar person says it all in that art piece. Its reflecting this current generations darkness.
The sincerity is being able to tell some sort of ambiguous narrative on what went down and how it might end but the irony of this is taking that farming couple, giving it a major upgrade in an idealisation, exaggerated and absurd way that would indicate it’s a new time and that humanity is on the threshold while still fighting back for a future. It’s about trying to look over the forest and seeing the bigger picture on how we can get out of these same old ruts. I stumbled on metamodernism accidentally while doing some research on where art was at for this current generation through a philosophical lens. The word fitted just perfectly with what I was trying to do with my style of the visual arts for this time period. Metamodernism this new way, I believe that this term and label can provide a way out, but it will take time, patience, and cooperation from many. It may manifest into something better for future generations, that should be a goal. This art piece was based on my imaginative space. My ideas and concepts come from my senses, in my mind, being played out like a movie shall we say.
From the vibrant spectacle of Times Square to the reflective intimacy of European galleries, your work has traveled across continents and cultures. How have these diverse settings enriched your understanding of your art’s universality, and what has surprised you most about the ways audiences around the world respond to your vision?
My travels lately in diverse settings exhibiting my art have made me realise that regardless of where you are located on this globe, I have experience and concluded that art is a universal element as it caters to a timeless form of communication. This hidden language spoken through the art itself transcends the cultural and geographical barriers. Art is a universal language that all walks of life can embrace, or reject, experience, or ignore, and have their own thoughts and opinions regardless of the cultural background and origins of someone looking at the art. Art shares information and stories from all walks of life, spanning on generations, connecting the past, present and the future. Art can mediate cultures, share values, and knowledge through different groups throughout time. The influence of new technology at present time plays a role on advancing where art can be heard, found, and looked at universally. Even though art has universal traits the traditions in art are still valid and rooted in the culture. But with this new metamodern age, artists will have to continue to adapt and work around these continuing technological advances. The way certain people have reacted seeing my work around the world so far have mainly been positive with constructive criticism. As an artist I’m never satisfied and that’s there’s always something for me to improve on in my work after hearing the feedback from like minded individuals.
You often describe art as a world of its own, distinct from the everyday, yet your work draws richly from the technologies and experiences of our contemporary age. How do you see this interplay between art’s autonomy and its engagement with the pulse of modern life as expanding the possibilities of what art can offer to the world?
Through my lens I believe that art can be seen as a world of its own because “art” the term has become a system of exchange and communication from having internal dynamics. While art is a universal practice based on emotions through social and cultural experiences subjectively, the artwork as a physical or digital piece is separated from the external world and is a world entirely by itself from the everyday grind. It can be looked at as if you were peeking through a window or going through a door and entering this physical imaginative world created by the artist from looking at the art piece. That’s how I see it and that’s how I look at art myself when I’m the viewer. Tapping into the world of the unknown created by the artist. Yes, some of my work draws richly based around the technologies that are springing up in our contemporary age now. Art’s autonomy while engaging the metamodern age is interplayed through the relationship of having a space where art is mirroring its reflection on society giving viewers a concept in the aesthetics in which the artwork can be understood by its own internal logic and essence rather than the external forces socially and culturally requested. It sways back and forth in between modernism and post-modern critiques, deconstruction, and irony. The contemporary art world still has lots to offer by acknowledging these possibilities. It’s a desire for an artist to open up and expand on traditional art methods and ideas. We are far from done, keep creating, and finding ways to be innovative.
The expressive vibrancy of Fauvism and the intensity of Expressionism reverberate through your work, yet you reimagine them through the lens of today’s digital and technological realities. Do you view your practice as extending the great conversations of modernism, or as transforming those legacies into something new for the metamodernist future?
The genres of expressionism and fauvism together go well with my work. I love the usage of colors as they convey a strong sense of feeling and vibe while the expressive power of color can be pleasing to the eye over generic realistic interpretations in art. Expressionism just took the idea of color more to the extremes later during modernism. I love the fact that the genre expressionism in art can allow me to bring out unrealistic exaggerated forms and figures using strong intense coloring, wild, thick aggressive brush strokes, that can represent what I have seen, where I’ve been, and experienced. Techniques such as impasto, where the paint is applied in thick layers, can disclose the artist's energy and intensity in this genre. It can say a lot on the artist’s journey. At the end of the day, in my opinion the genre “expressionism” in basic terms for a regular person in due honesty is just “expressing yourself.” Whether it’s from poetry, abstract or figurative expressionism.
My practice and its aim are to expand and to update and revamped these past genres for this metamodern age. To get viewers engaged in my work and make them look beyond realism, to have them see my work as bold, unique, focusing my subconscious response to the environment I experienced and felt while trying to understand the dynamics and composition of the art piece. To have people feel like they are in the painting and have their own interpretations. To bring people together and have connections and to have a moment is what I strive to accomplish as a visual artist for the fans and for art lovers out there. Perhaps they will have their own stories that can be relatable from my works of art. I’m honestly just continuing with what some of the forefathers started in modernism. I will keep working on my craft and style and keep creating for the metamodernist future coming up and whatever lies ahead. I do view my practice as an extension of those genres that can start up great conversations on metamodernity as we continue moving forward in the arts.
The play of light and darkness has become a central motif in your practice, echoing the balance of extremes in our present moment. How do you see your exploration of these contrasts not only reflecting our times but also offering a sense of hope, resilience, and vision for what lies ahead?
These themes of light and the dark are important to me as an artist. I suppose these factors are the focus and motif of what I choose to unveil. It’s what makes this world work and go around. These two can also expand into other forces and explore. Having balance, the yin, and the yang, having them as dichotomies of good versus evil, knowledge versus ignorance, the divine versus the absence, and the known versus the unknown. I look at them as symbols of life. One cannot do without the other in our realm. They can tell great narratives, stories, symbolism, and even give enlightenment from looking at an art piece. One shows purity, openness, prosperity, and peace while the other represents the death, chaos, obscurity, and destruction. While many other things happen during the “in between.” It is the “in between” that had me always fascinated and curious on what’s goes on behind closed doors, behind the scenes or in places undisclosed where the journey, destination, progress, or destruction, and demise is being played out from one end to another end. So, to be able to capture and experience what goes on during the “in between” and put it back out in an art piece is a challenge.
At present time I like to think that my art works lately have offered a sense of joy, hope, understanding, perseverance, recovery, and perhaps thinking of new methods and perspectives to better our planet down the line. It is hard for me to take when I see this world already being destroyed. I hope that my style of art can make the world a better place to live in by giving an audience a moment. Sounding a bit like a philanthropist lol but those are my fondest wishes that I would like to accomplish as a visual artist. But to be as honest and truthful as I can be as well.
At the heart of your practice is a devotion to humanity, to emotion, presence, and the immediacy of experience. In an era so often mediated by technology, how do you feel painting and the tactile act of making reaffirm the profound human connection that contemporary art can bring?
During these difficult and troubling times in the world I must say that because of the technology that is ingrained in society at present time it reaffirms that art aspects of physical painting can redirect us and our human connection. During this new generation of technology, modern life consists of mediating through digital screens and monitors. While the formation of a tactile art piece bridges the cure where it reaffirms us that there is a stronger bond between the artist, their artwork, and the viewer. The word “aura” can also be acknowledged in the power of tactile art when the encounter of a physical art piece comes into connecting to the viewer from touching and feeling the materials. It has a story, history, journey, where you can feel the energy from the artists interactions making the art piece. Technology is a tool art can use if needs to be but foremost, the human connection is still accessible as art is still mostly considered authentically made by a physical human being expressing it’s emotion, communication, thoughts, a style, and a vision to a physical audience.
Your works radiate spontaneity and playfulness, yet also carry layers of symbolism and depth. How do you see the raw gesture of dripping paint or marking a surface as harmonizing with the philosophical and imaginative ambitions of metamodernism, where tradition and innovation coexist so dynamically?
As a new artist coming into the contemporary art world, I’m still in the stages of experimenting and trying out new things, new ways to use certain tools to do a painting and see what results I can get. Playing around with solid and fluid acrylics. Being creative but painting in a different way is a challenge when it comes to experimenting and getting different outcomes. I think the rawness from my work and my ambitious drive to have a new vision to be able to look over the forest and to keep moving forward and have my contributions open certain minds to help get us out of the ruts that post-modernism couldn’t fix is a pretty metamodern mindset. An example of post-modern failure is that to this very day there is still a lack of political commitment and effectiveness neglecting the real world with real people inhabiting. Traditions and innovations must still co-exist as we continue to leap into newer realms in the contemporary art world. They co-exist in metamodernism by going through fluctuation between two opposing poles, finding balance for both is ongoing. This dynamic approach may allow room for new perspectives and ideas to emerge.
Ambiguity plays a powerful role in your work, inviting audiences to pause, to wonder, and to engage with their own imagination. Do you see this openness as a way of encouraging deeper, more personal connections with your art, a gift of freedom to the viewer in a culture that often demands certainty and speed?
Having ambiguity in contemporary art is considered a feature. Revealing that there may be multiple meanings behind an art piece reflects the convolution and complexities that we all our currently facing in this world during this metamodern age. The rejection of singular interpretations no longer applies as ambiguity allows the art to be more broaden, dynamic, mysterious, and remain relevant after a long period of time. I see this openness a way of opening more doors for people who want to engage into a deeper connection when they see art and culture and for them to have a more curiosity on what the art piece means for each individual person’s interpretation from their own point of view and preference. It’s a way of an art viewer’s freedom to roam around with imagination as you can say when looking at the composition.
Being honored with the Collectors Art Prize and named among the Legends of Our Time affirms your place as a vital voice shaping the future of contemporary art. How do you see this recognition inspiring and empowering your journey, while reinforcing the authenticity, sincerity, and freedom that are at the core of your practice?
As of right now I do feel honored to be awarded this prestigious art prize. I started my artistic journey just 5 years ago and came along way getting my work out to the public locally to being at certain galleries and art expos internationally. I’m just like any other newcomer coming into the contemporary art world. Being as authentic, sincere as I can be with my craft, having artistic integrity, being truthful and honest, keeping it real, and having that magic of art lovers recognising the freedom I express subjectively throughout my work. I enjoy sharing my art with others when I do and showing everyone what I’ve been up to with my art. Making my contributions to the contemporary art communities. Let’s just say that painting.. it’s my “why”, it’s my therapy, and it’s my “expressionism”.
Metamodernism, as you embody it, feels less like a style and more like a vision for the world, one that embraces complexity, renewal, and possibility. Looking fifty years into the future, what do you hope your body of work will reveal about how artists of your generation helped to illuminate the challenges and the beauty of our age?
Metamodernism is a new vision for the world from the contemporary art realm. This new age was sprung up out of organic/natural causes. Gradually as the 2010’s came to an end and where the pandemic started and ended there had to be a shift soon for the arts to keep moving and to keep being innovative and interesting for another generation springing up. People in society right now are hurting, people are losing faith, losing their identity, humanity is up in the air, the gap between the rich and the poor have never been more divided. Like I mentioned earlier, the chaos, violence, destruction, conflict, & momento mori is being felt around everywhere lately. The working people, they need and seek for something that may lift their spirits and remind them that there is still hope and something they can spend their time and energy on and that is investing in the arts. Supporting the art communities that exist in the cities and towns from all over. Your also getting entertained from the art world when being immersed in an art expo or exhibition. Connections and relationships can blossom during art events. Getting involved helps the art communities along with networking. Businesses from different industries should also be involved and continue to do so to benefit to the arts. Let’s all come together and illuminate the challenges that we all face in this beauty of our age.
Fifty years is a long time for myself, but I hope after that many decades I hope to see that my art will still resonate and be relevant, have my art be a part of pop culture, and be timeless for generations to come. To renew and continue to repair, recover, and keep creating with our heads held up high. I hope my style of art can inspire others and try to make this world a better place to live in as it is already being damaged bit by bit. I think it’s time to start spreading metamodernism around in action as the next thing after post modernism in art. This may start allowing us to transcend into new heights. Only time will tell if the rest of the world will catch on, come together, and embrace this concept. Where on the verge of a shift socially/culturally at the moment. Where there’s a movement there will have to be artists that represent it. I’m open minded for anything as of now. I’m still discovering and seeing where my journey leads in the arts and coming up with new ideas that can be turned into an art piece. As I conclude this, I’m visual artist Matthew Mark (MCM), I delve into the realms of the light and dark and everything else in between. My art is about disclosing things already known and also, the unknown… See y’all in the realm.