Fold, Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media Painting by Matt Higgins

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Description

Collage has always been a part of the artist's work. The idea of reusing, recontextualizing, and even resurrecting parts of … Read more Collage has always been a part of the artist's work. The idea of reusing, recontextualizing, and even resurrecting parts of the painting. From an economic standpoint the materials are being recycled and reused to avoid waste. The desire to reuse materials forces decisions that typically would not be made otherwise with a brush and the act of cutting and adhering materials to the canvas creates a different work altogether.

This work is a dynamic mixed media piece composed primarily of collaged canvas fragments layered onto a base canvas. The composition features bold, gestural shapes painted in vivid cobalt blue, deep black, and tan. What makes the piece particularly compelling is the use of tan acrylic paint, which cleverly mimics the natural color of raw canvas, creating a subtle illusion that blurs the line between painted and unpainted surface.

The collaged elements introduce texture and depth, with raw canvas edges visibly frayed in places, emphasizing the materiality of the medium. The shapes are abstract and organic, suggesting movement and rhythm, with overlapping forms that play with positive and negative space. The layering of painted fragments over one another adds a sculptural dimension to the work, giving it a tactile, almost architectural presence.

The painting is signed on the back.

Matt Higgins b. 1987 is both an artist and an art professor based in Philadelphia, PA. He engages in a consistent studio practice, with a primary focus on painting across various bodies of work. He received his BFA from West Chester University in 2011 and his MFA from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2017. As well as maintaining a regular studio practice, he teaches at a few schools in the area including Drexel University, Delaware County Community College and Moore College of Art and Design. His art is included in numerous private collections and has been featured in a diverse range of interior design projects, spanning residential properties, corporations, and hotels. Both his home and studio are located in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, where he lives with his wife and son. See less