Essays
Matthew Browne
Press release - Montage of Attractions
In June 2023, my father passed away at the age of 92, plunging me into a grief I did not immediately recognise. Having never experienced such a profound loss, I felt directionless, apathetic, and questioned the purpose of everything. Though I went to my studio, for five months I could not bring myself to begin work. One day, I shared my struggles with a student, and their straightforward reply- "Oh, you're experiencing grief"-jolted me into recognition.
That simple truth set me on a path to reorient myself. I began with a series of canvases titled Paintings for a Greek Tragedy. Greek tragedies are often structured into seven parts: Prologue, Parados, Epeisodion, Stasimon, Kommos, Threnos and Exodus. This framework offered a logical starting point-a series of seven visual metaphors reflecting the journey of a life.
A turning point came when I realized I needed to honour my father more directly. By late July, I had begun 'Montage of Attractions', drawing inspiration from Eisenstein's cinematic theory. I envisioned one image for each year of my father's life-92 metaphorical abstractions. Using acrylics on 640gsm Fabriano paper, I committed to completing at least one painting a day. Masking defined boundaries and shapes without prior planning. Paint was applied flatly, with little or no visible brushwork. The forms seemed to float onto the surface, free from preconceptions or illustrative restrictions, yet finding resolution with certainty.
I learned to embrace the so-called "disasters" that emerged during the process, accepting a substantial casualty rate. Often, conscious thought hindered progress. I sought instead to embody the Japanese Zen Buddhist concept of Mushin-"no mind." The kanji for Mushin combines Mu (nothingness) and Shin (heart, mind, spirit), an approach rooted in intuition. This methodology, long central to my practice, aligned with my father's devotion to Soka Gakkai Buddhism and felt like the most honest tribute.
As the paintings emerged, I came to see they also held autobiographical threads. My life intertwined seamlessly with my father's, forming a natural and organic connection. Together, the paintings trace a journey through time, spanning from the first year to the ninety-second-a timeline filled with adventure, travel, marriage, children, teaching, painting (for he too was a painter), pain, grief, sorrow, joy, and an enduring love for life.
Through this process, the series transformed into something universal-a tribute to the richness and diversity of the human experience.
Matthew Browne - January 2025