The Collection

Matthew Kirk is recognized for his mixed media works that draw on Diné textile motifs and the visual rhythms of his urban surroundings. His sculptural constructions feature recurring symbols arranged on surfaces he refers to as “tiles.” These pictograph-like elements, each functioning as a small-scale painting, are organized into grid formations that suggest an internal landscape shaped by his lived experience.  

“This piece is fun because it came out of a time where I was cutting up a lot of painted plywood pieces comprised of stalled paintings as well as my studio floor during Covid lockdowns. I was canibalizing (sp) the work and letting a lot go. It felt like I was painting with my jigsaw and belt sander. There are special parts I wanted to protect and I just trusted the process to make sure I was taking care of things while also letting other parts go if they didnt fit the shape and I got good at telling myself that whatever doesn’t work here will find a place in a different work. And so for this piece it was very funny to me that through so many cutoffs on the floor this bird shape emerged… I didn’t set out with anything in mind, I was just cutting parts up and laying them on the floor…it was exactly what I wanted from trusting the process.” - Matthew Kirk