Film Lingual II
July 17 - August 16, 2008
Collect a Matt Larson Polaroid $100 (please contact us for availability of images) or let us select for you
Collect a Matt Larson Polaroid Framed $125 (please contact us for availability of images) or let us select for you
Matt Larson
After twenty-six years as a professional photographer, I discovered plastic "toy cameras," which created an entirely new sense of purpose and enjoyment in my personal work.
toy (toi), n. 1. a thing of little importance. 2. like a plaything in size, use, etc. 3. made as a toy; especially
being a miniature imitation.
The human senses are truly amazing, when one is taken away, another becomes stronger. Eliminating the technical aspects of working a camera has brought my photographic eye to the forefront, and given my images a stronger sense of emotion and drama.
I have come full circle, to the days of thirty-seven years ago, when my brother Tony gave me my first camera and a complete darkroom outfit. Both my father and my brother were avid photographers and encouraged me at an early age to photograph, process, and print my own pictures. They gave me no guidelines and their only concern was to have fun and not break anything. I learned as much as I could about the equipment and the process. The work produced back then was personal, experimental, and playful in nature--like you would expect from a kid. For many years afterwards, throughout my college and professional career, my technical skills improved but the passion slowly decreased ... that is until I started playing with the toy cameras.
It has taken me almost three decades to return to those early childhood years when, I would play with the camera, than merely interact with it on a technical level. Ironically, the tool [the camera] that was given to me by an adult when I was young, I'm just now learning to play with as an adult. I'm totally consumed by my personal visions. I've learned to trust my human senses more and allow them to be the guiding force behind my images.
Matt Larson
2304 N. Elcoe Drive , Tampa, FL 33603
(813) 629-2211, matt.larson@mac.com
topcameraplay.blogspot.com
R E S U M E
Exhibitions and Awards:
2008 Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa, FL
2006 Platform, Lakeland, FL
2005 Two-person Exhibition, The Arts Center, St, Petersburg, FL
2004-05 Antioch College, Artists Respond to the Environmental Crisis, Yellow Springs, Ohio
2004 The Arts Center, Fixed In Time, two-person show, St. Petersburg, FL
2003 The Tampa Museum of Art, Permanent Collection Selected Works, Tampa, FL
2002 HCC Gallery, Landscapes and Roadside Crosses, Tampa, FL
2000 Mayfaire by the Lake, Award of Merit, Lakeland, FL
2000 Tampa Chamber of Commerce, Group Show, Tampa FL
1999 The Florida Aquarium, Artistic Waters Invitational Exhibition, Tampa, FL
1999 GrinerWaters Gallery, Featured Artist Exhibition, Lakeland, FL
1999 “Art In Public Places,” Featured Artist, County Building, Tampa, FL
1999 Mayfaire by the Lake, Lakeland, Award of Excellence
1999 Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Tampa, FL
1999 Soho Photo Gallery, Krappy Camera Exhibition, New York, NY
1999 Moffitt Cancer Center, BoundlessExpressions, Group Show, Tampa, FL
1999 TECO Public Art Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Tampa, FL
1998 Gulf Coast Museum of Art, Florida Biennial III, Belleair, FL
1998 The Tampa Museum of Art, UNDERcurrent/OVERview II, Tampa, FL
1998 Arts on the Park Gallery, MayShow Exhibition, Lakeland, FL
1998 Selby Garden, 17 th Annual Open Photographic Competition, Sarasota, FL
1998 The Arts Center, Tenth Annual All Florida Spring Juried Exhibition, St. Petersburg, FL
Publications
2003 The Sandspur, Art Soup, Artist Profile, Tampa, FL, Kathy Gibson
2002 South Tampa News, “HCC Exhibition.” September 18, 2002, Jenny Carey
2002 Weekly Planet, HCC-Ybor Gallery.” August 21-August 27, 2002, Cooper Cruz
2002 Weekly Planet, HCC-Ybor Gallery.” August 21-August 27, 2002, Cooper Cruz
2002 The Tampa Tribune, Photographic Exhibition.” August 8, 2002, Esther Hammer
2002 South Tampa News, “Photographer Isolates Images With Toy Camera.” August 7, 2002, Jenny Carey
2001 Tampa Review 21, Featured Artist, University of Tampa Literary Magazine, Tampa, FL
1999 Photography In New York, Dealer ad, July/Aug 1999 Issue, NY
1998 The Tampa Museum of Art, UNDERcurrent/OVERview II Gallery Guide, Tampa, FL
1998 The Tampa Tribune, “ Art Show Celebrates Diverse Local Talent.” June 28, 1998,
Joanne Milani
Collections:
The Tampa Museum of Fine Art, Tampa, FL 33602
Professional Organizations:
1990-Present American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP)
2001-2003 Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts (TBBCA),
Executive Board Member
1998-2003 LifePath Hospice Patient Family Volunteer
1996-2003 Tampa Bay Business Committee for the Arts Board member
1991-1994 ASMP, Board of Directors, Central Florida Chapter
1988-1991 International Television Association (ITVA)
1988-1990 ITVA Board of Directors
1985 Association for Multi-Image, Chairman
1983-1991 Association for Multi-Image (AMI)
Education:
2001-2003 Saint Leo University, MBA (Masters in Business Administration)
1978-1982 University of South Florida, B.A., College of Arts and Letters (Photojournalism)
