Original Works by Matt Tanner
Words by Kevin R. Susienka
Titles? Where we’re going, we don’t need titles – and where we’re going is into the recent works of Matt Tanner. None of these mixed media canvases have names but what they lack in formal labels they make up for with composition, vibrance and emotion. He has a knack for it. He takes any process that’s put in front of him, be it riding a skateboard, fabricating custom motorcycle parts, working on boats or making a piece of art, and does it with a flair that could only be his. These four canvases are a case in point.
Tanner’s newest pieces are layer upon layer of seeming randomness, not-so-neat piles of consciousness that are made, believe it or not, completely on purpose. His end results are compositions that have interesting face values with the potential for deep dives into their underlying details. It’s been Tanner’s way forever – to make glorious messes that people fall in love with for their uniqueness when he’s done.
Over the past couple of years in particular, Tanner has amassed quite the collection of artwork, the best of which will be on display at Firefly Bicycles in Medford, MA this spring and Bromfield Gallery in Boston’s South End later in 2024. Rosewater will be on both scenes to show you more of Matt Tanner and his art, culminating in a feature at the tail end of the year that will attempt to travel to the depths of where this beautiful chaos originates.
ROSEWATER 0006 // April 2024
