Photo Courtesy of San Diego Union-Tribune
By Emily Esparza
Matt Rich was born to be an artist.
He was born to an artist and raised in an art studio. He played with art supplies. He is now an art professor.
None of which explains how he turned art on its head.
Rich has rejected so much of what he grew up learning to become a maverick who has blended the 2-dimensional art of painting with the 3-dimensional art of sculpture.
Rather than Art 2.0 his is Art 2.5. He rejects the constraints of dichotomy and is unconcerned about symbolism. His work is existential, or in the current vernacular, “It is what it is.”
“I want to say, you are what you eat,” he said. “I think if you feed yourself interesting music, ideas, people and experiences they will challenge and reward you. You will be feeding your soul. You’ll feed your mind, and that will be reflected in your work.”
Rich said his mind and imagination have been well fed.
“I was lucky to always have jobs and museums, and then I started teaching for 20 years in the (SDSU) art department,” he said. “So I’ve always been lucky enough to be around it.”
Rich’s work combines two- and three-dimensional objects and architecture that challenge the idealism of the painting’s supports and surfaces. It may appear like random shapes to the untrained eye but it is actually sophisticated and creative. He said he wants the viewer to engage with his art pieces.
Brittany Stroj, a student worker who helps run the art gallery, said Rich’s work can be an acquired taste.
“In the beginning, I didn’t see a purpose but when I heard about his techniques and how he came up with them, I found it intriguing,” she said. “I would never think of something like that.”
Paintings on display correlate with Rich’s sketches, said Stroj.
“It helps a lot when you look at the sketches and see the overall process,” she said. “Every artist has their own unique technique and strategy. Rich uses collage techniques. Anything can be art.”
Rich said he did not want his art to be singled out as a sculpture or painting the way people single out political parties. He merges two-dimensionality with three-dimensionality and thinks dimension should not battle each other but embrace and unify both objects.
Instructional Art Technician Eric Rosciam said to art interpretation is like sitting in a stadium. Everyone is watching the same event but will have different perspectives on the game.
Synthesis is the essence of creativity, like combining chocolate and peanut butter or drums and guitars. Rich is content with mixing it up in his search for meaning. He remains unconventional and non-dimensional.
