Matt Coyle Australia, b. 1971
-
-
“I’ve known Matt and been fascinated by his work for a very long time. I don’t know anyone like him. I truly believe he is a great artist, if by “great” we mean some weird, inimitable combination of insight, visual power, and deep originality." Sebastian Smee, Art Critic
-
Biography
Lives and works in HOBART, TASMANIA, Australia
Matt Coyle stands as a masterful conjurer of the uncanny. His command of pen and ink transcends the ordinary, leading viewers into a realm where the familiar meets the disconcerting.
Coyle's artistic arsenal consists of pen, ink, gauche, air brush paints and coloured pencils—yet his noir-esque creations possess a disquieting likeness that blends into unsettling dreamscapes. The otherworldly texture of his works, rendered through the interplay of flat planes of colour and three-dimensional forms, blurs the lines between reality and illusion. Flecks of recognisable forms dissolve just as quickly as they appear. He plays with the surreal, leaving us entranced and unsure if what we see is truly there.
In the hands of Coyle, the mundane becomes mysterious. The result is an undeniably uncanny experience that perpetually eludes our comprehension. He intricately weaves the picture plane into a mesmerising tapestry, where elements fold in on themselves. The fusion of spray paint and mark-making adds layers of complexity, resulting in a kind of disturbing beauty that is both brooding and unbound.
Coyle's journey as an artist is further underscored by his publications, including the acclaimed graphic novels "Worry Doll" and "Registry of Death." These narratives transcend conventional storytelling. Coyle's approach to the comic medium lies not in text, but in the sequencing of carefully composed imagery. It is an orchestrated unveiling of nightmares, testament to his unparalleled skill as a storyteller.
Coyle's work graces the collections of prestigious institutions, including the NGV, GOMA/Queensland Art Gallery, and Maitland Regional Art Gallery. His artistic contributions include commissions for publications such as Art and Australia (ARTAND). He has exhibited in major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart, with international participation in Hong Kong Art Fair, Art Athina, and the Korean International Art Fair (KIAF).
Coyle navigates the thin line between reality and illusion, light and dark. He is a versatile figure in contemporary Australian art, a true master of the uncanny.
-
Works
Matt Coyle Australia, b. 1971
Shadow Work, 2025Acrylic and enamel on canvas150 x 98cmCopyright The ArtistExhibitions-
Shadow Work
Matt Coyle October 15 - November 1, 2025 GALLERY TWORead more -
Other Worlds
Group Exhibition September 3 - 21, 2024 GALLERY ONE, GALLERY TWO, LEVEL ONERead more -
Paintings
Matt Coyle May 23 - June 8, 2024 GALLERY TWORead more -
Landscape And Memory
Group Exhibition September 2, 2023 - September 23, 2025 GALLERY ONE, GALLERY TWORead more
News-
Washington Post Art Critic Sebastian Smee reviews the work of Matt Coyle
The Monthly, October 2024 October 1, 2024I used to show pictures of Matt Coyle’s pen and ink drawings to friends, and then delight in watching them try to figure out what...Read more -
Art critic Sebastian Smee on the art of Matt Coyle
May 21, 2024Matt Coyle has long been one of Australia’s most original and captivating artists. The work he has been making over the past five-to-ten years convinces...Read more
