Manuel Mathieu Haiti, b. 1986
False Horizon, 2017
Acrylic, oil stick, chalk, charcoal, spray paint, and tape on canvas
smaller piece 18 x 18 in, 45.72 x 45.72 cm
larger piece 36 x 24 in, 91.44 x 60.96 cm
larger piece 36 x 24 in, 91.44 x 60.96 cm
6225
While Manuel Mathieu (b. 1986, Haiti) has developed an aesthetic trajectory that may be easily traced to his Haitian upbringing, his work articulates his positionality from a multitude of realities...
While Manuel Mathieu (b. 1986, Haiti) has developed an aesthetic trajectory that may be easily traced to his Haitian upbringing, his work articulates his positionality from a multitude of realities and perspectives. Reposing on his own multiplicity, the abstractness of his work conveys the abundance in existing at the intersection of racial, geographical, and cultural identities. Mathieu’s abstract imagery taps into the unrepresentable and elusive -- he offers emotional and spiritual nuances that post-structuralist critiques neglect. He presents historical paintings that rely on emotive and speculative thinking as a form of knowledge production. He abandons figurative or didactic western traditions for a more interactive mode of interpretation where the viewers are actively participating in formulating their understanding of the work.