Matt Flint’s Exhibition “Pentimento”

February 20th, 2024

Matt Flint’s latest exhibition “Pentimento” at Gallery MAR

Matt Flint’s body of work is ever impressive for many reasons, from the breadth of his subject matter to the technique he employs, from his mindful use of color to the subjects he masterfully depicts. His oeuvre boasts a wide range of captivating wildlife, wild portraits, and dynamic wildflowers: a diversity that speaks to his versatility as an artist and his willingness to explore new territories. The work in his upcoming exhibition “Pentimento” epitomize this versatility and strength, demonstrating the true depth and breadth of the artist’s talent.

Left to right: Matt Flint, “In Between Days,” mixed media, 72″ x 60″ | Matt Flint, “Outlasting,” mixed media, 72″ x 48″ | Matt Flint, “Another Day,” mixed media, 64″ x 50″

Perhaps central to Flint’s artistry is his masterful use of texture. Whether depicting the graceful movements of swans, the rugged wildness of bears and wolves, or the delicate wisps of dandelion flowers, his gestural strokes and intuitive layers reflect the unique essence of the subjects he depicts.

Matt Flint, “Looking Back, Looking Past,” mixed media, 48″ x 72″

In order to properly capture the raw nature of his subjects, Matt Flint employs a unique process of invention and discovery, embracing the balance between intention and serendipity. His new exhibition “Pentimento” is named after this process. Italian for “to repent,” Pentimento in painting refers to “the presence or emergence of earlier images, forms, or strokes that have been changed and painted over.” Flint elaborates, “My painting process has consistently been concerned with exploring subjects through finding, adjusting, and incessantly reworking the surface. Instead of completely painting over or hiding my meanderings and missteps, I incorporate them into the finished work.”

Matt Flint, “Standing on the Plains,” mixed media, 50″ x 80″

These layers – applied and scraped away, covered up and revealed again – are often infused with color that heightens the energy of the work. Flint exhibits time and again a masterfully restrained approach to color. Some of these larger-than-life works are composed entirely in black and white, allowing the other compelling elements and techniques of the work to take center stage. This reliance on composition, contrast, texture, and other painterly techniques grounds his work and seems to enhance each piece’s sense of bold drama.

Left to right: Matt Flint, “Midnight Summer,” mixed media, 80″ x 50″ | Matt Flint, “Beyond IV,” mixed media, 80″ x 48″

Oftentimes, Flint will incorporate subtle color into such works: shimmers of metallic silver, hints of aquamarine blue, and washes of sepia gold. Other times, he allows color to take on a more central role in his work, like the bright reds in his new work “In Red, Pompeii,” as wild and dynamic as the subject at its heart. Flint’s careful and deliberate use of color makes its inclusion or omission feel all the more powerful and meaningful.