Matthieu Milo is a mixed media painter based in Brooklyn, New York. Mathhieu’s pieces are real story telling: with a strong imagery, he’s is taking us on deep subjects. “As an artist, what is most important, is that my art evoke a feeling of of familiarity, independent of what the viewer thinks that I am representing.”
KALTBLUT: What came first, the painting or the photography?
Matthieu: It’s kind of hard to say. My parents are very into the arts, so I was exposed to a lot of different mediums growing up. But everything started when I was studying photography in university. I love photography, but I always felt as if there was something missing in my work. I couldn’t figure out how to truly express my self in the image. It wasn’t until my thesis where I started to seriously experiment with different mediums. At the time it was primarily paint and photography. It all just took off from there.
KALTBLUT: When you start a collage, what is the first thing that came: color, drawing or picture?
Matthieu: Color. I’m very sensitive to the colors I use. I usually look for texture and color. It’s pretty much the driving force behind all my work.
KALTBLUT: You work a lot in series. When you start to work on a new piece, do you think it as a single work or do you already think it as an ensemble?
Matthieu: I think of it as an ensemble from the start. I can’t say that I have a definite plan each time I create a piece within a series. Some ideas might shift or alter through out the process. But I do plan out each series down to the content, technique and aesthetic. My collage work is a process of discovery for me, but It’s well calculated and specific one.
KALTBLUT: You work is very powerful. What inspires you the most?
Matthieu: Thank you. I think what truly inspires me is what I’m exposed to on a daily basis. I live in New York. There is so much going on around me. So many personalities. It’s beautiful, even if it’s not all positive. I’ve learned so much living here. When we’re young we’re taught to “express” and “be ourselves” but there are no real genuine platforms for us to truly express ourselves. So we are forced to create our own. My creations are my platform to express my frustrations, my loves, my misunderstandings.
KALTBLUT: You are based in Brooklyn, NY. How your city influences your work?
Matthieu: It’s really a crazy city. It’s constantly changing and we get exposed to a lot at such a young age. So when you sit back and let all the thoughts settle, you realized how confusing this life really is. Whether it’s dealing with identity, self worth, sexuality, racism… It’s a lot to decipher. And it’s consistently being thrown in your face. It’s hard to make sense out of it all. So I feel as if my work is me finding the peace. Here in my studio, I can share myself with you all.
KALTBLUT: What are you working on at the moment?
Matthieu: I’m currently working on a series named “ Le Pays Maudit”, the Cursed Land… It’s a very colorful and textured photo collage series. It’s definitely the most colorful series I’ve worked on to date. I’m enjoying it though.
KALTBLUT: What is the best part about living in Brooklyn?
Matthieu: The People. So much culture and history. It’s been changing drastically over the years, which is one of those GOOD and BAD things. But when you find those authentic Brooklyn areas, It’s powerful. The last few places I’ve lived, Sunset Park… Bedstuy… they were just filled with so many different cultures and sounds. It’s really beautiful. The only downside is that we have a lot of minions moving here now. I’m afraid of the culture dying. But I have hope that some of us well keep it alive, some how…
Contact:
Instagram: @MiloMatthieu
