Picture this: Matt Bryans

Matt Bryans always starts with pieces of newspaper with black and white images printed on them. He erases or blurs elements, making the connection with their original context completely disappear. Then, he sticks different sheets together to create a seemingly uniform composition.

The new installation that Matt Bryans made for MDD also consists of newspaper clippings. They refer to the abundance of information that settles in our brains and shapes our collective understanding of the world. Starting from a collection of thousands of black and white images from newspapers, he transforms each one by rubbing away or altering the original representation, leaving only eyes, contours, or blurry shadows.

Although the context of the politically charged source material is erased, the allusion to informing politics never disappears. However, specific characteristics have disappeared, so recognizable features of celebrities cannot be distinguished from local heroes or a random victim of the newspaper photographer. When Bryans depicts characters or landscapes, it is not the particular that dominates, but rather an essence that transcends the usual grouping. They can be read as half-forgotten memories that may or may not be close to the truth, which naturally brings us back to the source material itself.