AUSTRALIAN
Premiere
Matthew Sleeth
Pattern Recognition
“Recognising patterns is one of the key traits that have made
us successful – it is one of the things that we do well … We are
only moderately good at deductive logic, and we make only
moderate use of it. But we are superb at seeing or recognising
or matching patterns … In problems of complication, then, we
look for patterns.” The Social Atom, Mark Buchanan
Matthew Sleeth’s use of serial photographic images seeks to bring order
to the chaos around us. Pattern Recognition features a photographic
series drawn from contemporary life, including abandoned umbrellas, fire
extinguishers, security cameras and Ground Zero. In the process of making
these images, Sleeth draws attention to the history of photography’s
relationship to collecting, cataloguing and obsession.
Matthew Sleeth is a Melbourne-based artist. His work has been exhibited
throughout Australia and internationally including New York, Chicago, Los
Angeles, Tokyo, Cologne, Berlin and Venice. In March 2008, Sleeth opened
a solo exhibition at the Aperture Foundation and in 2009 he will exhibit at
Claire Oliver Gallery in New York.
“Matthew Sleeth is a consummate observer,
exploring the world around him with an acute
and often humorous eye.” Bec Dean
Image: Abandoned Umbrellas, 2004 (detail) Matthew Sleeth
One broken umbrella is just a broken umbrella, whereas a series of broken
umbrellas says something X