art + objets d'arts + photography

Much of Matthew’s work celebrates the sensuality of the human form – figures often luxuriating, nude, against lush decorative backgrounds or sometimes frozen, naked, into empty fields of muted colour. The textures of flesh are captured with the use of layers of delicate colour and the sensitive rendering of light. The paintings often seduce the viewer with a dream-like flow of imagery, a careful attention to detail and an intense use of colour.

However they can also challenge us with their serious intent, questioning ideas of sexuality, desire, fear, mortality, and loss. Although much of Matthew’s work depicts fantasies of wealth and splendour, it is not the luxury of a materialistic world that is being celebrated, rather the wealth of the imagination, where the mind is free to gather images from different eras, continents and mythologies, creating visions of beauty that seem to be haunted by their own perfection. In this way, Matthew’s paintings convey a certain melancholic yearning for lost eras and a child-like sense of wonder, underlaid with a knowing sense of humour.

Biography:

Education :

1981- 82 Watford School of Art and Design

Foundation Course in Art and Design

1982 – 85 Saint Martins School of Art

Honours Degree in Fine Art ( Painting )

Qualification gained : First class

1987 – 89 The University of Reading

Masters in Fine Art

Awards :

1987 British Academy Scholarship

1989 Boise Travelling Scholarship

1997  Eaton Fund for Artists

Selected Group Exhibitions :

1988

‘Between Ourselves’ – The University of Reading Art Gallery , Reading .

‘The Invisible Man – The Construction of Male Identity – Goldsmith’s Gallery , London .

1989

‘MFA Show’ – Air Gallery , London .

1991

‘Passion’ – Candid Gallery , London .

1992

‘Exposure – The Out in Arts Festival’ – The University of Kent , Canterbury .

‘Outward Gaze’ – The Pearce Institute , Glasgow .

‘East and South National Open Art Exhibition’ -Norwich Gallery , Norwich .

1993

‘Fantasy of Form’ – The Bruton Street Gallery ,London

‘Ecstatic Repose’ – Ikon Touring Exhibition .

‘Olympian Arts’ – Centre Point Building , London .

‘Masks – Real and Imagined’ – West Soho Gallery ,  London .

‘Art for Equality’ – ICA , London .

1994

‘The Kiss II’ – Gallery K , London .

‘Guys and Dolls’ – Phillip Graham Fine Art , London .

‘Olympian Arts Auction’ – The Fine Art Society London

‘The Sexual Perspective’ – Jill George Gallery,London

1995

‘The Kiss III’ – Gallery K , London .

‘Talent’ – The Globe Centre , London

1996

‘The Kiss IV’ – Gallery K , London .

‘Pleasures Unbound’ – The Coventry Gallery , London .

1997

‘Likeness – Reflecting Sexuality’ – Manchester City Art Galleries , Manchester .

1999

‘Group Show’ –  La Galerie des Figuratifs Expressionistes, Paris.

2001

‘Spring Showcase’ – The Art Attack Project, London.

‘The BP Portrait Award 2001’ – The National Portrait Gallery , London.

2002

‘Artlink @ Sotheby’s International Young Art’ Touring Programme – Sotheby’s New York , Tel Aviv and Amsterdam.

Pride Arts Trust Mardi Gras Exhibition – Lauderdale House , London

‘British Male Art’ – Anton Galerie , Berlin.

2004

‘100 Mothers’ – Vision Gallery, London.

‘The Nude’ – Gallery 39, Swindon.

2005

‘Face Value’ – The Chelsea Gallery, Palo Alto, California.

‘The Kiss VI – The Arts Club, London.

1. ‘Going Underground’ – Art@Large, New York.

‘The Death of the Painter’ – Moso Arthouse, London

’42 – The Meaning of Life and Everything’ – Three Colts Gallery,London

1. ‘Fellow Travellers’ – Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Manchester

‘Summer Exhibition’ – Contemporary Arts Projects, London

‘Rector vs.Spectre’ – The Residence Gallery, London.

2008

‘100 Mothers’ – Sartorial Contemporary Arts, London.

’00 Nature’ – Contemporary Arts Projects, London.

‘Up Close and Personal – Bennett, Maelzer, Stradling’ – Sartorial Contemporary Arts, London.

‘Blank Canvas’ – Pollocks London, London.

‘Fellow Travellers’ –  NOVAS CUC , Liverpool.

‘New Acquisitions’ – The Leslie Lohman Gay Art Foundation, New York, U.S.A.

1. ‘Jubilant – for Derek Jarman’ – Gallery 10, London.

‘La Petite Mort invades Le Petit Monastere’ Gallery      Swap – Galerie Monastiraki, Montreal,Canada.

Pride Exhibition – 10 Gales Gallery, London.

‘Gasoline Rainbow’ – CS13 Gallery, Cincinatti, U.S.A.

‘The Infidels’ – La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa, Canada.

‘400 Women’ – Shoreditch Town Hall Basement,  London.

1. ‘City Hobgoblins’ – Angus-Hughes Gallery, London.

‘400 Women’ – Canongate Venture, Edinburgh, Scotland.

2012

‘Flesh Garden’ –  Casa Brandon, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Sala +18, Santiago, Chile.

La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa, Canada.

Solo Exhibitions:

1991

Paintings’ – Zoo Gallery , London .

‘Luxuria’ – BAC , London .

1992

‘Paintings’ – First Out , London .

1994

‘Penetralia’ – The Edge Gallery , London .

‘Penetralia’ – First Out , London .

1996

‘Mirror Mirror’ – The Diorama Gallery , London .

1997

‘Mirror Mirror’ – First Out , London .

1998

‘Paintings’ – La Galerie des Figuratifs Expressionistes , Paris .

‘The Treasures of the Night’ – The Adonis Gallery , London.

2000

‘Selfish’ – The Candid Gallery , London .

2002

‘Nacreous Daydreams’ – The Adonis Gallery ,London.

1. ‘Black and Gold’ –The Adonis Gallery , London.

2010

‘Close to the Frozen Borderline’ – Gallery 10, London.

‘Boxers’ – La Petite Mort Gallery, Ottawa, Canada.

2011

‘Pin Ups’ – Joint exhibition with Sadie Lee at The  Gallery Liverpool, Liverpool.

Works in private collections in the U.S.A. , Germany , Italy , Spain , France , Australia , Malaysia , Zimbabwe , Korea and Japan .

Portrait commissions include Marc Almond , Derek Jarman  , Adventures in Motion Pictures and  Princess Anita of Malaysia.

Publications :

Books: ‘The Sexual Perspective’ – Emmanuel Cooper – Routledge 1994

‘Outlooks’ -ed.by Peter Horne and Reina Lewis – Routledge 1996

Magazines : ‘Flesh and Pearls’ by Brendan Maton – Rouge  Issue 20 , 1995. U.K.

‘Interview with Matthew Stradling’ by Brendan Maton – Outrage Issue149, Oct.1995 . Australia.

‘Art Attack – Paul Burston talks to Matthew Stradling’ by Paul Burston – Time Out, 5-12 Feb. 1997 . U.K.

‘A Brush with Reality’ by David G. Taylor – Blue Issue 9 , June 1999. Australia.

‘SMart – Matthew Stradling’ – Ritual Issue 9 , 1998 . U.K.

‘Lo Specchio dell’Identita’ by Vincenzo Patane – Babilonia Issue 7 , March 1999 . Italy

‘Finding Space to Breathe’ by Matthew Dunning – Queercompany.com , Feb, 2001 . U.K.

‘Principal Artists Exhibiting at Adonis Art’ by David Jarrett – The Leslie Lohman Gay Art Foundation Archive No.12 .2004 . U.S.A.

‘The Men of Luxuria’ by John Calendo – www.nightcharm.com , 2005 , U.S.A.