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Matthew Carden 

Matthew Carden plays with ideas of taste, pleasure, celebrity, and popular culture. Working with intricate detail and edible materials (such as cakes for vast oceans, and mountains made of broccoli), using shifts of scale, and an elaborate studio system involving many technicians, Carden turns banal objects into whimsical scenes and statements about our culture. His photographs borrow widely from photo-historical techniques and styles; although often seen as ironic or tongue-in-cheek, Carden insists his practice is earnest and optimistic. “I’ve always loved Surrealism and Dada and Pop, so I just incorporate my life experiences and go with that,” he says. Many of the series that brought him fame were inspired by the popular culture of Los Angeles and Hollywood in the 1980's and 70's where he grew up. 

 

His work is shown and collected internationally.

03_CAKE_Nantucket_Harbor_Captain.12x6
01_CAKE_Nantucket_Harbor
04_Nantucket_lighthouse02_grt_pt.1095.01.12x24
05_CAKE_Nantucket_Jetties
06_CAKE_Nantucket_S_Pacific_untitled01
02_CAKE_Nantucket_S_Pacific_whale01
BCV_carden_leaf_climbers
BCV_carden_vignette_R2_03
BCV_carden_vignette_R2_07
BCV_carden_vignette_R2_13
BCV_carden_wine_boat_35x48
BCV_carden_wine_spill
BCV_carden_wine_swimmers
bcv_cork_flying_contact
carden_BCV_grass
DSC_0068.01
IMG_6274.02
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