Bio
I've always been fascinated by the little things in life, like sentimental objects, nature, and fine foods. From an early age my grandmother instilled in me an eye for antiques, and a passion for creating.
In my years at school I had many extra-curricular activities, but my favorite thing to do was to make art in my own little basement studio.
For my BFA I went to Pratt Institute where I greatly expanded upon my technical skills as well as my ability to constructively engage with art and my peers. In 2019 I went on Pratt's summer program in Venice where I learned what it is like to be a part of a community of artists and how to live independently far from home. In 2020 I took a gap year and worked in a furniture restoration shop, where I vastly expanded my knowledge and passion for woodworking.
Post graduation, I went solo backpacking in Europe with a focus on going to some of the greatest art museums in the world.
Now that I am back in the US, I am eager to engage with other artists and continue on my journey in the world of creation.
Artist Statement
Like a hidden gem you might find at an antique store, Matt Hopen’s paintings are covert depictions of uncanny creatures and objects. They are a collection of personal relics.
His work rests between representation and abstraction, creating an unknown, yet familiar state. To achieve this, he paints his subject with the least amount of paint needed.
Matt enjoys starting a painting with abstract paint splatters or collage, and letting his intuition guide him towards discovering obscured imagery.
His paintings flirt with familiar themes in art, such as outsider art, folk art, and Eastern art. Yet, they hold an ambiguous reality of their own produced on unconventional materials like cardboard, hot glue, and paper scraps. These materials reveal sentimentality within the mundane.
In addition to painting, Matt is passionate about making frames for his work. He believes that a frame enriches a painting by serving as an extension of the art itself. Matt paints to show and ponder the beauty of simple things.
-Matt Hopen