“The Letters is Matthew Rose’s theory of everything. It’s like trying to hold a glass of wine in your bare hands. It’s like kissing your 5th grade girlfriend in the school closet.” But significantly less scary. Paris-based artist Matthew Rose is fascinated by alphabets, letters (of both kinds), and mixed messages, and to that end, the artist has mailed 333 works of collage and writing, created on paper, canvas, and “terribly unusual objects” to the Converge Gallery in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where they will be displayed — along with any love letters you might send to him.
“These days,” he told Flavorwire, “everyone texts and e mails and barely even speaks on the phone… but the idea of writing and reading is still pretty powerful – maybe in the same way vinyl records are still used and treasured – they are real. Pen, paper, ink, postage, handwriting, mistakes, erasures, glue, and a whole chain of people handling your very important documents, love letters, hate letters, notes, and ideas seems to me a miracle. I am endlessly fascinated with all the materials surrounding correspondence as well as the visual and verbal puns that go along with it… the double and triple meanings of the words ‘stamp’ and ‘envelope’ and ‘dear john’ … it’s endless and rich.” Indeed. Click through our gallery for a sampling of these wonderful artworks (or just follow along here) and then be sure to swing by the Converge Gallery between July 5 and August 31 to see many more.
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose
Image Credit: Matthew Rose