London-born, Melbourne-based Matthew Johnson produces painterly abstractions of nature's striking pattern language, channelling the infinitely expressive potential of light to instil an essence that remains between the real and the cultivated. Through the composition of large-scale repeated geometries and sequential arrangements reflective of those found in the natural world, Matthew's works move away from the rigidity of formulaic constructs to assume a gentle flux.
Through ongoing investigation into light and the natural world, each painting is akin to a scientific report expressed through artistic virtuosity. Marine environments are shaped via aqueous colouration and modulated striations reminiscent of the light bleached upper layers of the ocean which deepen as the underwater atmosphere descends upon the canvas, reaching midnight tones along its floor. Horizontal watery rows are shaped by a myriad of hazy circles in a study of how beams of light refract as they lacerate through bodies of water to create an engaging opalescence. Expanses of earth-toned disks, precisely arranged en mass, render a static viewpoint suggestive of the kinetic energy of humming atmosphere.
From their genesis in traditional mediums, Matthew's work has begun to evolve through his interest in different materiality and the ways various applications can either convey or hinder his resonant visual language. From standard and linseed-based oil paint to digital print, different surface textures shift the experience of the work, increasing reflections, softening layers, creating new interpretations and giving new meaning to the relationship between viewer and artwork.