Imminence – Matthew Felix Sun

In-person Reception and 2nd Friday Art Walk:
* March 11, 5:00–8:00 pm

Exhibition Dates:
* February 11 – March 25

1325 Donors’ Gallery

The pieces presented in this gallery are gouache paintings I have made since early 2020.

These paintings, ranging from purely abstract to semi-representational are moderate in scale, and each offers a small sliver of life, while in the aggregate they reflect a multifaceted and more comprehensive way of being and seeing, as in a collage or mosaic. These paintings serve as narrow viewfinders that open onto a broader world.

Painted under the shadow of the pandemic, and so, inevitably, with a dark undertone, these works reach beyond direct or simplistic reactions to the challenging time we have been experiencing, covering broader emotions including doubt, obtuseness, distraction, longing, and hope that a brighter world is imminent.

Instead of verisimilitude, I strive to discover and capture what is hidden, emphasizing the implicit and the unspoken in my paintings.

My tendency to seek the unspoken can be traced to my years growing up in repressive China, where much is hinted at, but rarely spoken aloud. This experience sharpened my awareness of the invisible burdens borne by people everywhere, and my ability to discern what is hidden or disguised.

I have been developing my craft since childhood, and began to express myself through art more seriously after relocating to the US in my early twenties.

(See more at exhibit web page.)

– Matthew Felix Sun