Flyer
Signs of Life
Event concluded on 28th February, 2011
No Vacancy Project Space
The Atrium, Federation Square, Melbourne, 3000, Victoria, Australia
Opening Event 6:00pm Friday 11th February, Showing until Sunday 28th February 2011 No Vacancy Gallery Project Space The Atrium, Federation Square More than a decade ago Matt ‘ADNATE’ first picked up a spray can, sparking a flow of creativity that has never been blocked. Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Matt ‘ADNATE’ has bared witness to one of the most avant-garde street art capitals of the world. He has contributed to the scene through scores of graffiti murals. In recent years his street works can be seen in New York, Paris, Berlin and more. His art has also been landing in galleries, including a Spanish Council sponsored exhibition in Barcelona. In January, 2010, Matt ‘ADNATE’ drew a 500+ crowd at his first solo exhibition ‘Demand Attention’ at No Vacancy Gallery in Melbourne. ‘Demand Attention’ explored elements of life, beauty, the environment and urban decay. The standout piece of which was a thought provoking, two-meter tall wild-style wooden crucifix. One year on, his next solo show ‘Signs of Life’ is located in the heart of Melbourne’s Federation Square at the No Vacancy Gallery Project Space. This time round Matt ‘ADNATE’ has pushed himself further by focusing on portraiture, fusing raw street textures with classic illustration techniques and mediums. This has taken his clash between graffiti and fine art to the next level. “I obsess over clashing graffiti, one of the most hated and loved art forms in the world, with fine art,” says Matt ‘ADNATE’. “Most people would never expect to see ‘tags’, the rawest element of graffiti, fused with fine art style portraits.” Growing up as a graffiti artist, Matt ‘ADNATE’ has always seen art on the street from a different point of view. To him, all forms of graffiti, including ancient works, are all ‘Signs of Life’. “People have told story’s by making marks on walls for thousands of years. It lets people know they are alive and in turn has helped ancient cultures survive. If graffiti/street art didn’t happen, we would never know these people even exist.” 2011 is guaranteed to be a big year for Matt ‘ADNATE’, with his next exhibition locked in for Berlin, Germany. Be sure to stay tuned as he takes on the world’s contemporary art scene armed with brushes, spray cans, hacksaws and a bachelor in graffiti art.
