Matthew Abbott is known for his bold, abstract canvases that explore seemingly random geometric forms and text. From two isometric grids, one straight and one skewed, he establishes a rhythmic frame: “To start, a rule is made up. That rule is followed until something happens. The rule must then be amended, or another one made, intent on contradicting something already there, to allow for the creation of shapes as chance dictates.” Drawing from such diverse sources as Islamic symbols and crossword puzzles, Abbott composes complex visual landscapes with a gripping internal tension.
Matthew Abbott – Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Somewhere Over the Rainbow, 2010
I saw Matthew Abbott at NEXT Art Fair, May 2010