DOMINGO, LOS DIECISIETE DE ENERO VEINTE-DIECISEIS

A new collaborative work between myself and JK Russ titled 'The Release', 2016, collage and oil on metal, 14” x 11”. We usually start with a regular-sized piece of aluminum that I commonly work on, I'll paint a standard backdrop in oil, then hand it over to JK Russ and she finds collage elements to place on the backdrop. After JK has finished, we talk about the images, configuration of forms and placement then talk about what is the best way to complete the work in oil paint. The best works or examples are the one that find a perfect conflation of our ideas and signifiers.

New Publication 'Thirty-Three'

My new publication 'Thirty-Three' is now available for purchase in New Zealand. They are $33 each, plus $6 for postage and handling within New Zealand. The catalogue features full colour reproductions of the group of paintings now on tour around New Zealand and an essay about the work by anthropologist Dr Peter J Howland. Please email me for more details!

DOMINGO, EL SIETE DE OCTOBRE, VEINTE DOCE

Recent published articles on my work over the last couple of months:
Fran Dibble, 'Palette of Painters', Manawatu Standard, Palmerston North, NZ, 2 October, 2012
Unknown, 'Matthew Couper and JK Russ: Firmamentation', Australian Art Collector, 2 October, 2012
Scott Dickensheets, 'We Chose You', Desert Companion, Las Vegas, October Issue, 2012
Anthony Behrens, 'Hidden Talent', SwampThing Magazine, 20 September, 2012 (PDF)
Checko Salgado, 'Matthew Couper: Skins & Teeth Review', Arts Vegas, 15 September, 2012
Jenessa Kenway, 'In The Thick Of It: Matthew Couper's Skins & Teeth', Las Vegas Citylife, 14 September, 2012
Brian Paco Alvarez, 'Las Vegas Based Artist For Export', Las Vegas Arts & Culture, 12 September, 2012
Scott Dickensheets, 'To Do Thursday: Matthew Couper's Skins & Teeth', Las Vegas Citylife, 12 September, 2012
Eric Minh Swenson, 'Is Tim Bavington the Ed Ruscha of Las Vegas?', Huffington Post, 22 August, 2012

VIERNES, EL DIEZ DE AGOSTO, VEINTE DOCE

MATTHEW COUPER : DESERT INVENTORY -- COLLECTING CONTEXT IN LAS VEGAS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4fa_D8loYM

Film by Eric Minh Swenson. Music by Mountaineater

Los Angeles filmmaker Eric Minh Swenson traveled to Las Vegas to visit New Zealand-born artist Matthew Couper, who recently immigrated to the USA.

In his apartment in Las Vegas, Couper's collection of religious Spanish Colonial paintings from Mexico provide a rich cache of narrative and allegory that inform the artist's reactions to his new and unique environment. Over the past two years, Couper's paintings have collected and collated visual and psychological symbols of Las Vegas, culminating in a hybridized form which Huffington Post art writer John Seed suggests is 'a pagan Catholic Cirque du Soleil', accentuating the artist's 'Kafkaesque view of the world'

For more info on Eric Minh Swenson or project inquiries visit his website  www.thuvanarts.com/take1

MIERCOLES, EL OCHO DE AGOSTO, VEINTE DOCE

My painting 'The Harbinger' has been selected as a finalist in the 21st Annual Wallace Art Awards 2012.
http://www.wallaceartstrust.org.nz/wallace-art-awards/

'The Harbinger'
Matthew Couper
2012
oil on loose canvas
62" x 30"

JUEVES, EL DOS DE AGOSTO DE VENTE DOCE

Just before disassembling my props today, I thought I'd get a photo of my 'Polemical Alchemy' set-up in reference to an 1895 photograph of James Ensor in his studio:

"...The polemical assertion of the act of painting as a subject of aesthetics is more interesting than formalities of visual representation manifested by painting. We live in a digital age, where we could easily create graphics and visual aids through computer software and hardware yet the persistence of painting is still a mystery or perhaps an alchemy. Like James Ensor's paintings of death skulls/bones come to life or Matthew Couper's paintings about turning shit into gold, the alchemical power of the very act of painting is undeniable - transforming material entity into a metaphysical state..." - Jevijoe Vitug

MIERCOLES, EL VEINTICINCO DE JULIO, VEINTE DOCE

Two photographs of 'Polemical Alchemy' at the 2012 London Biennale in Nevada performances at Pop Up Art House, 21st of July 2012. Photographs by Frankie Henriquez.

www.londonbiennale.tk

JUEVES, EL DOCE DE JULIO, VEINTE-DOCE

Thirty-Three at Te Manawa, Palmerston North:
My touring exhibition 'Thirty-Three' opens this Saturday at Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science & History in Palmerston North, New Zealand. This is the second venue of a three-year tour of the exhibition around New Zealand. The publication for the exhibition will be available by the end of the month and I will be back in New Zealand for an artist floor talk in October.

Thirty-Three, (touring exhibition)
Te Manawa, 326 Main Street, Palmerston North, NZ,
14 July - 21 October 2012

MARTES, EL OCHO DE MAYO, VEINTE-DOCE

Almost-finished scrimshaw. Final patina is on and I think that they've come out better than I thought. Two of these scrimshaw are heading to Houston for my two-person exhibition with Charles Krafft at PG Contemporary.

VIERNES, EL QUATRO DE MAYO, VENINTE-DOCE

Matthew Couper
'Contemporary Burdens' (with important figureheads in roundels)
2012
oil on canvas, pressed-metal frame
21" x 16" (frame size)
©2012 Couper Russ Studios LLC

JUEVES, EL VEINTISEIS DE ABRIL, VEINTE-DOCE

Anti-War=Anti-Orgasm at Light & Space Contemporary, Manila, Philippines, 14 April - 5 May, 2012

MIERCOLES, EL VIENTIUNO DE MARZO, VENINTE-DOCE
Yesterday at my talk, I mentioned Bosch's painting in the Prado, 'Lubbert Das/Extracting the Stone of Madness' and how it related to my retablo '1994' (see below). Click on the link above to see the alternative translation of Lubbert Das that influenced my painting.

EL TRENTI Y UNO DE DECIEMBRE, VENITE-ONCE
My last painting of 2011 (2012 defeating 2011) - started this morning and almost finished bar some text on the shield and title, date etc. Oil on tin, 14" x 11", based on San Miguel figure represented in Spanish Colonial painting.

EL VEINTICUATRO DE DECIEMBRE, VEINTE-ONCE
Feliz Navidad!

VIERNES, EL VEINTICINCO DE NOVIEMBRE, VEINTE-ONCE
Three of the five paintings available at SmallWorks Gallery in Brisbane, Australia. You can view the other two on my artist Facebook page here.

Left to right: 'Beginning', 'Dos' and 'Trinity', all 2011, oil on metal, 10 3/4" x 8", 270mm x 200mm.

MIERCOLES, EL VEINTITRES DE NOVIEMBRE, VEINTE-ONCE
SmallWorks Gallery is opening this Friday in Brisbane, Australia.

LUNES, EL VEINTIUNO DE NOVIEMBRE, VEINTE-ONCE
Please click here to read the email update below

MIERCOLES, EL NUEVE DE NOVIEMBRE, VEINTE-ONCE
John Seed of The Huffington Post has published an article on my paintings, practice and context:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-seed/matt-couper-painter_b_1080307.html

DOMINGO, EL VEINTITRES DE OCUTBRE, VEINTE-ONCE
Matthew Couper
'The History of the Blue Lady'
2011
acrylic and oil on loose canvas
©2011 Couper Russ Studios LLC
222 Imperial:
http://www.facebook.com/222imperial

VIERNES, EL VIENTIUNO DE OCTUBRE, VEINTE-ONCE
invitation to 'Santa Muerte Festival' 2011 at Sacred Machine (http://www.sacredmachine.com) where I have three small paintings on display. I'll post them once the exhibition has begun.