JoAnne Artman Gallery Presents, SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME | John 'CRASH' Matos

Cover: John CRASH Matos, Sweet Dreams (Triptych), Spray Paint on Canvas,

36 x 54 in.

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: John CRASH Matos Winter 2022 5 1 1A W E ST 2 2 N D ST, N E W YO R K, NY W W W . J OAN N EARTMAN GALLE RY. C O M J OAN N EARTMAN @AO L. C O M 9 4 9 . 5 1 0 . 5 4 8 1

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

JoAnneArtmanGalleryispleasedtopresent SHAPEOFTHINGS TOCOME,featuringworksbyJohn“CRASH”Matos.

In a playful evolution of color and form, CRASH’s recent works are spray painted on custom-made, shaped canvases. Emphasizingsilhouetteandtheexternalform,hepresentsnew dynamic compositions that meld the versatility of his canvas medium with the layered depth of sculpture. Wrapping around the edges as if spilling on to the wall, vibrant pigment and decisivelinesarebarelycontainedtotheplanesofeachpainted surface. An allusion to stylistic progression as well as the contoured canvases, SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME delivers immersiveworkswithsteadilyunfoldingnarratives.

Challengingtraditionfordecades,CRASH’songoingexploration of spray paint as an art form breaks from convention both through technique and his irregularly shaped forms. Utilizing canvasesthatresemblewristwatches,stars,andspeechbubbles, he continues a conversation around scope, scale, and environment. CRASH’s fluorescent palette and structural brashness cements his work firmly in the present, as he works within a dialogue culled from classic pop culture, comic book and print references. Balancing flatness with dimensionality, CRASHmaintainshissignatureelementsofocularimagery,lens flare,andresoluteslashesofcolor.Disruptinglinetrajectoryand creatingfrenetic,unexpectedcompositions,hegeneratesworks that embody the experience of the world in tandem with the viewer.

Rooted in his identity as a Bronx-born graffiti artist, having come of age in the hip-hop fueled Bronx of the late 1970s, his distinct style made him an iconic part of the New York City visual landscape, while also pioneering a new age for graffiti in 1980 when he curated the pivotal “Graffiti Art Success for America” exhibition at Fashion MODA. A frequent collaborator, CRASH is continuously engaged in various projects, commissions, and numerous museum shows, with works in many permanent museum collections such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Brooklyn Museum (New York), Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (Scottsdale), and Stedeljik Museum (Amsterdam). Whether on city streets or gallery walls, concrete or canvas, CRASH’s works are instantly recognizable.

John ‘CRASH’ Matos’ work will inspire, provoke, engage and mesmerize. With visual perceptions always changing, peek behind the stories told and you're sure to find the right artisticexpression.