Mathew Zefeldt
This work explores the idea of monomania: an inordinate
or obsessive interest in a single thing, idea, or subject. The
multiplication of objects throughout the composition and from
painting to painting references the speed and ease with which
one can reproduce identical images in Photoshop. I am interested
in performing software operations in the traditional medium
of painting. I am inspired by drag-and-drop gestures in digital
technology, the picture-within-a-picture found in FaceTime,
iPhone homescreen images, and desktop arrangements on
laptops. The paintings have awkward figure–ground relationships,
where objects float in shallow space, as if they were positioned
in post-production using a green screen or cut out using the
Magic Wand Tool.
I take on the role of juggler while painting—one who is skilled at
keeping several elements engaged at once. I work with a specific
cast of characters that come from my surroundings, video games,
art history, and popular culture. All these elements function as
marks in a composition that reflects the composite nature of my
present-day existence.