Matt Phillips: Delicatessen

September 13 - October 06, 2023

Matt Phillips is fascinated by shapes — both their fluidity and their simplicity and archaism. In his paintings, the artist deconstructs the process of creating visual objects by focusing on the very elemental shapes. Lines that create rectangles, triangles, circles, and other shapes are inherent in the second dimension. Yet, Phillips' thinking about shapes is rather Kantian which is demonstrated through his effort to depict the a priori concept of time. Phillips explains, 'Through this process, rectangles transform into new shapes, straight lines, curves and scale becomes less predictable and stable.' The results are modified subjects with the ability to grow further, even outside the painting and canvas itself. With the help of a balanced palette, Phillips approaches poetry, nature and even humanism.