The Head and the Heart in the Heat

Matthew Michael is a non-binary artist and curator known for their interdisciplinary practice spanning assemblage sculpture, installation, curation and drawing. Through these, they delicately explore the essence of objecthood – how everyday artefacts may assume a sacred quality – by imbuing them with a sense of sentimental eroticism. Their practice examines the functionality and familiarity of objects, imbuing their utilitarian roles with an ornamental significance. Through assembling items under borrowed aesthetics, there is a celebration of domesticity while exploring the complexities of object relations in familiar contexts. Michael honours often-overlooked gestures – the unseen – through manifesting dynamic sculptural inventions. A pivotal aspect of their practice involves aesthetic appropriation through deliberate but minimal transformations. These challenge prevailing aesthetic norms through recontextualization; new meanings emerge from relational dynamics. Things of practicality, such as motorcycle gloves or safety pins, are subtly reconfigured through the quiet subversion of their symbolic language, becoming metaphorically charged bodies. The assemblages emphasise how simple boundaries seen as inherent in objects offer opportunities. Here, where their interventions evoke a sense of sentimental and erotic allure, it is intertwined with learning and self-discovery. These artworks interrogate how aesthetic styles embody broader social values such as taste, trustworthiness and lifestyle choices. Through a meticulous selection and sensitive reworking, Michael's work explores how the curation of objects may evoke and challenge personal and societal narratives, offering a commentary on contemporary aesthetics and human relationships. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Michael’s first solo exhibition, "Arena", took place at the Association for Visual Arts in Cape Town (2022) and their second solo presentation, "The Head and the Heart in the Heat", took place at Everard Read CIRCA Gallery as part of a Cubicle Series (2024). They have participated in various group exhibitions, both locally and abroad, including "1 KASTEN" at Schoenwalder Project Space in Berlin (2022); "Full House" curated by Fede Arthouse and Under Projects at Blank Projects in Cape Town (2023); and "Sublet" at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, curated by Unathi Mkonto and Amy Cornfield (2023).