Matthew McConville

Flowers for the Anthropocene

September 9 – October 23: Online

A surreal image of vibrant, translucent flowers in varying hues sprouting from a tangle of earthy roots on a reflective surface, creating a dreamlike botanical scene.
Abstract painting of an intricate organic form with bulbous, translucent textures and fine root-like structures against a grey background, suggesting a mix of underwater and botanical elements.
Abstract art featuring a cluster of organic shapes and textures that resemble marine life forms in various colors, against a muted gray background.
Abstract painting of colorful, flame-like flowers on twisting stems, reflected on a grey background, creating a mirror image effect. The flowers combine vibrant hues of yellow, orange, blue, and green.
Abstract painting of three flowers with vibrant, swirling colors and unusual, jellyfish-like petals against a muted background, giving a surreal and organic impression.
An artistic depiction of tulips set against a dark background. The tulips display a range of vibrant colors, including red, pink, blue, and hints of yellow. Their stems and leaves are dark and barely visible, emphasizing the flowers' vivid hues.
Abstract painting featuring clusters of circular and organic shapes in various textures and colors, including blue, pink, and green, connected by delicate lines on a grey background.
Abstract painting of faded flowers in pastel colors on a gray background, with delicate lines and blurred details, giving a dreamy and ethereal feel.
A vibrant painting of various flowers, including blue, red, and purple blooms against a dark background, showcasing a striking contrast in colors.
Abstract painting depicting a cluster of delicate, colorful flowers intertwined with thin, branch-like lines against a moody, dark gray background. Small, faded floral forms float around the central vivid bouquet.
Panoramic abstract artwork featuring a fluid, branching structure embellished with colorful, bubble-like elements against a muted background.
Spacious art gallery interior with minimalistic design, featuring framed artworks on clean white walls, wooden floors, and rows of teal chairs for seating.
Three framed paintings titled "Flowers for the Anthropocene" are evenly spaced on a white gallery wall, each featuring a different floral arrangement on a dark background.
Three framed floral paintings displayed in a row on a soft beige wall in an art gallery. Each painting features different flower arrangements with dark backgrounds.
Two framed paintings of flowers hanging on a clean, well-lit gallery wall, one large on the right and one smaller on the left, over a light wooden floor.
A small, framed floral painting hung on a plain, white wall in a brightly lit gallery space. The artwork stands as a focal point in the minimally decorated room.
Spacious art gallery interior with wooden floors and white walls, displaying various framed artworks. Natural light streams in from large windows. Seating area with chairs is visible.
Two small framed paintings featuring floral arrangements, each hung symmetrically on a plain, light-colored wall in a minimalist style.
A modern art gallery interior displaying four framed artworks on white walls, each artwork spaced evenly, under soft gallery lighting with polished wooden floors.
Two framed abstract artworks displayed on a white wall in a gallery setting, each featuring a cluster of vivid colors and intricate details.

Press Release

Richard Levy Gallery is pleased to present Flowers for the Anthropocene, a selection of works by Matthew McConville. These luminescent paintings of fantastical arrangements are largely inspired by images of jellyfish, plant life, viruses, and root balls that McConville found online. The imagery in these paintings is sometimes beautiful, at other times strange and frightening.

Scientific research is at a pivotal moment where gene sequencing and editing could lead to massive changes in biodiversity, including the potential to revive vanished organisms. This moment coincides with the current threats to the planet’s flora and fauna caused by human activity. In Flowers for the Anthropocene, McConville invites the viewer to question our ability to change biology and how this will affect the future of our natural world. McConville borrows from the visual language of 18th-century Dutch still life paintings and botanical illustrations, as well as flower arranging and painting traditions in Japan.

Matthew McConville’s work has been exhibited throughout the United States and is in the collections of Charlotte Bloomberg Children’s Center and Sheikh Zayed Tower, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore; the Federal Reserve, Minneapolis; Iowa State Bank, Iowa City; Medtronic, Minneapolis; United States Park Service, Isle Royale National Park, Houghton, MI; University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City; and Weisman Museum of Art, Minneapolis. He currently teaches drawing and painting at Goucher College in Baltimore.

Images for this exhibition can be viewed online at www.levygallery.com and purchased on Artsy.net. High-resolution images are available on request. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @levygallery @mcconvillematthew #matthewmcconville #richardlevygallery #flowersfortheanthropocene

We are now scheduling appointments to see this exhibition through October 2, 2020. Please contact info@levygallery.com to schedule a private viewing.

Dates: September 9–October 23, Online  I  September 9–October 2, 2020 at Richard Levy Gallery by appointment
Contact: 505.766.9888, info@levygallery.com, @levygallery

Artwork and Information
Matthew McConville