Monahan’s theme is developed around the idea of sculpture as a ruin, within which the materials, the archaeological grandeur and the memories of the classical era become transitory, like awe- inspiring debris precariously perched on the flow of time. The artist draws from a vast pool of images ranging from classical to science fiction, and combines seemingly unrelated yet iconic elements in a disorienting, but inspiring manner.

“I felt like I had to focus my ambitions on the concept of ‘figure’, so that it could become a vessel for all things transcendental and profane. The hand-built body is in fact made of two different, closed shapes: it’s a perverse doubling of the artist’s body itself, trying to grow and change within different cultures and genres,” said the artist.

Monahan’s bronze sculptures resonate with Palazzo Altemps’ architectural structure and its archaeological collection, filling what the artist perceived as empty spaces during his visits to the Museum. Each work was conceived and made in close relation to the spaces and the existing works in the rooms where it is shown, with the intention of suggesting new interpretations that could complement and blend with the variety of exhibits in the museum’s collection.

Matthew Monahan’s solo exhibition begins in the courtyard of the historic Palazzo and continues in the monumental rooms on the first floor: the contemporary reinterpretations of masks, warriors and pagan deities will be complemented by a series of framed drawings recalling the format used by the museum for its captions.

Matthew Monahan’s exhibition brings the museum’s traditional audience into closer contact with contemporary art. Likewise, the curator Ludovico Pratesi has organized two public lectures on the relationship between classical and contemporary art. A number of artists and art historians have been invited to participate, and a final programme will be released closer to the date.
The Matthew Monahan exhibition was organized by Massimo De Carlo, Milan/London/Hong Kong.