Theoria, at Orex Art Gallery, 3 May - 11 June 2016
Auckland painter Matthew Browne’s latest show at Orex Gallery reflects a mature artist at the height of his powers. Browne, now in his mid-fifties, is a minimalist abstractionist. His work in ‘Theoria’ seems even more pared down, bolder and more confident than ever. I have always been attracted to his considerable skill as a colourist. He has a honed ability to juxtapose colours together in often surprising and scintillating combinations and in just the right proportion. His work is impeccably rendered, mirroring his extensive experience laying down flat colour with vinyl tempura and oils and his very professional, thoughtful and craftsman-like approach to his painting. He is an artist completely in control of his colour, composition and technique.
The largest painting in the show is ‘A Form of Prayer’ (2300 x 1600mm) dominating the rear wall of the gallery. A bold, spare work, it demonstrates a robustness and strength that would grace the apartment wall or commercial interior of any discerning collector.
A massed display of 64 framed smaller works on paper create an impressive display on an entire side wall. The works gain a cumulative power from being presented as a tightly curated group.
In the catalogue accompanying the exhibition, Browne describes his painting as ‘a way to encourage and make visible those metaphorical images and sensations that normally reside deep in the unconscious’.