Written by: Benjamin Schmidt
Matt Tierney has his first solo show at Bryant Toth Fine Art- and it couldn’t have come at a better time. On view until Oct 29 in NYC.
Deeply concerned and apparently troubled enough to do something, Matt Tierney composed his first solo show in NYC with a degree of call-and-response. It’s Matt responding to- or rather, diagnosing- a current arrangement in American politics and its culture as a whole. Assigning new terms to a phenomenon Tierney seems to know intimately, “EMPIRES FALL | THE DANCE GOES ON” at Bryant Toth Fine Art is one show hinged on engaging with a new, sensitive space; a space of political purgatory, regarded as “dieback”. Definition, according to Tierney: the period in which an empire is the in the state of its falling. Controlled and gracious, Tierney has created a selection of paintings depicting female dancers. Sixteen large scale works, documenting the dance that goes on amid this dieback. Urgent in color, Tierney opts for vibrant orange – a color of caution and temporary danger and a light blue signifying some degree of acceptance. The “call” here is that of a failing government- and the need to continue the dance. It’s hard to even regard this as a need- it’s a way of being. The dance is perpetual. But each figure, alone on the canvas, twirl and go aimlessly and patiently, swirling as they can, demonstrating an innate patience amid temporary danger.
Tierney is no stranger to the art scene nor current events, the Silicon Valley-born artist has always engaged with modern spaces, reflecting and responding to current stimuli. Typography, branding, capital interests and more move Tierney, and not just in the direction of political. Though without much press, He’s landed in the collections of some of the most influential art families in the world. He counts David Hockney as a friend. His studio in Brooklyn is loaded with works he’s started. Reserved but kind, Tierney has let the world speak for themselves, as well as let others speak around them. In the next week, the Tierney show will play host to a number of events connected to this moment of dieback: Friday, October 20 a film preview of “Never Here” will take place, with Camille Thoman and a Sam Shepard Reading. “Never Here” premiered at Oldenburg International Film Festival, and opens in New York on October 20. (The Hollywood Reporter).
Camille will present a preview of the film, followed by a conversation about her inspirations and how the film relates to the theme of “empires fall | the dance goes on”. The evening will also include a reading of Cowboy Mouth in honor of the late Sam Shepard. The film features Sam Shepard. The doors open at 6:30pm, the trailer and discussion at 7pm and the reading at 8:00pm.
On Sunday, recording artist Black Gatsby will perform with the YoungArts Alumni at Toth Gallery. D’Angelo Lacy has been featured on the Empire television show (“Fist Full A Dollas”, which was on the soundtrack for Empire’s second season) as well as a number of features on Twin Shadow albums as well as with Solange Knowles on “Sleep in the Park”. The soul and R&B singer takes the stage at 7:30pm, with doors at 7pm.
Matt Tierney “empires fall | the dance goes on” Until Sunday, October 29, 2017 at
BRYANT TOTH FINE ART | 195 Chrystie, NYC