'Divisions of Devotion' by Matthew John Walters

Opening 5.30pm Tuesday 10th November
'Divisions of Devotion' by Matthew John Walters
Matt Walters was formally Trained in Fine Art / Printmaking and taking Studies further with an MA in Visual Culture and the London Guildhall university. He moved to Canterbury in Kent in the UK where he had a studio and taught part time at various institutions. Whilst using his creative practice in a multitude of settings, he has always continued his visual art practice and built up a large body of work and has exhibited regularly over the last 4 years. As a visual artist his influences are broad from contemporary drawing and painting practice, philosophy and cultural theory, development mechanics and working with people. Rather than expressing the unique environment or the special relationship with the land that is prevalent (and for good reason) in New Zealand art, his approach often investigates common themes that are pertinent to our collective human condition in our globalised times.
Whilst he was trained as a printmaker his focus on the mark has been transferred into mediums that are complementary to the painterly way he has used the press and printmaking techniques. Recently his process has developed the need to investigate notions of populations and individuality and this has seen a departure from a expressive and layered method to a more precise palette and mark, this multiplicity defines his process. Dealing with contemporary states of existence that preoccupy us, our infatuation with information over knowledge and using familiar images to denote this, the viewer is guided by titles that often act as an antagonist. This antagonism is often seen visually as he fights with the seemingly blind distraction from what is often numinous, and the diminishing connection and feeling of awe that is indeed present in the everyday.