MATT MARTIN
  • matt martin

acrylic paint
is a polymer emulsion, essentially a plastic

​IT OWES ITS EXISTENCE
​TO PETROLEUM

petroleum
in turn
owes its existence
to the plant matter
​of the past,
compressed in the earth's
crust over the course
of millions of years

​paint
plastic
petroleum
PLant
​

MArking
Scoring
SToring
Speculating

A PERVADING
​OR
ENVELOPING
​SUBSTANCE

the cycle of growth
and scarring
with each rotation of the sun
creates a physical mark
in a tree 

these marks accumulate
and when studied
can both describe the
climate conditions of the
past
and scry the probable
conditions of the future

width
pattern
darkness

correlate to
the severity
of reality
at that time


trees are a sort
of ecological version
of the distracted
spectator,
a term
Paul cezanne
linked to the marking
of time

marking and accumulation
are simultaneous
​and ongoing

transposing sensation
into form
the decision to add
a mark to those
already present

​
do trees doubt

A MATERIAL
FOR
RECORDING
OR
REPRODUCING

Oil MARKs
EXPERIENCE
BOTH AS AN ACTOR 
and AS A SPECTATOR

we've
syphoned it
​into everything

at states far from
equilibrium

in between
​
when matter 
and eyes
and choices
cross thresholds

autopoietic
capacities
reveal themselves

KNOWING THINGS
REQUIRES
PLACING ONESELF
BETWEEN THEM

in and with spaces

lines


breaks

​marks

ACQUIRING
present
STORING
potential
absorbing