Biography

Matthew Monahan is an American contemporary artist born in 1972, known for his innovative use of mixed media and found objects. Based in Los Angeles, Monahan's work often incorporates materials such as foam, construction paper, and glass, creating sculptures and installations that reference art history and literature. His style recalls the modernist influences of artists like Constantin Brancusi and Marcel Duchamp, while also drawing on the figurative fragments of ancient Greco-Roman statues. Monahan received his BFA from the Cooper Union School of Art in 1994 and furthered his studies at De Ateliers in Amsterdam. He has become a significant figure in the Los Angeles art scene, alongside contemporaries such as Aaron Curry and Thomas Houseago. His work has been exhibited in prominent institutions, including a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in 2007. More recently, the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas acquired several of his sculptures, showcasing them in a 2023 exhibition. Monahan's work is collected for its unique blend of historical reference and modernist abstraction, making him a notable figure in contemporary art.