Matthew Curry

B.1975, Chicago, Illinois

Rhode Island School of Design, Class of 1997

Illustration, Independent study in graphic design

MatthewCurry is a visual artist and graphic designer whose work spans solo exhibitions, international group shows, and permanent public installations. His exhibitions include Late Stage Mythology, MIXTAPE, and The Phantom Arena at Lost Origins Gallery in Washington, D.C. His work is also represented in large-scale public projects such as; Monster Imagination, a 32-piece permanent installation of painting and sculpture commissioned for the children’s section of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. The commission coincided with the renovation of the historic building, originally designed by architect Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe.

Curry’s work has earned two Grammy® nominations, received recognition from Apple, and was the subject of an ART TALK segment on VICE®. His practice is represented in both public and private collections internationally, including those of noted cultural figures, acclaimed graphic designers, and a range of established and emerging collectors. His work has been widely disseminated through art, design, and cultural publications in print.

In parallel with his studio practice, Curry has maintained an extensive career as a graphic artist and art director, collaborating with clients such as Jeff Koons, Sheryl Crow, Adobe, Wired, National Geographic, The Smithsonian, AT&T, Intel, and Thievery Corporation. His applied design work includes the creation of logos for leading restaurants in Washington, D.C., as well as poster designs commissioned by music, arts, and nonprofit organizations throughout the city—projects that underscore his sustained engagement with both cultural institutions and the broader civic sphere.

Bibliography

Exhibitions

Public Installations

  • Monster Imagination, permanent installation of sculptures and paintings, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, D.C.

Solo Exhibitions

  • Matthew Curry: Boy vs Dragon, Black Whiskey, Washington, D.C.

  • Late Stage Mythology, Lost Origins Gallery, Washington, D.C.

  • MIXTAPE, Lost Origins Gallery, Washington, D.C.

  • The Phantom Arena, Lost Origins Gallery, Washington, D.C.

  • Matthew Curry, Ritual Roasters Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Two- and Three-Person Exhibitions

  • Neighbors: Matthew Curry & Robert Hardgrave, David B. Smith Gallery, Denver, CO

  • Exquisite Life: Naota Hatori, James Nacarrato & Matthew Curry, Lineage Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Selected Group Exhibitions

  • The Blend, RAW:DC, Washington, D.C.

  • Monsters vs. Robots, OhNo! Doom Gallery, Chicago, IL

  • This Must Be the Place, curated by Faesthetic Magazine, Scion Installation LA Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • April Fools, Gallery Nosco, London, UK

  • Neighbors, Limited Addiction Gallery, Denver, CO

  • Inaugural Exhibition, Limited Addiction Gallery, Denver, CO

  • Would You Like Art with That?, The Seth Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • 3 Nights at the Biscuit, The Seth Carmichael Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • Square Foot: Blaine Fontana & Group Show, Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • Katalogue 2005: Exhibition and Canadian Book Launch, Gibsone-Jessop Gallery, Canada

  • The Pot Luck, Primary Space Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • Primary Red, Primary Space Gallery, Detroit, MI

  • Drama Magazine Presents: A to Z, New Image Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • Three Minutes of Happiness, The Selective Hearing Gallery, San Diego, CA

  • Three Minutes of Happiness, Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

  • Headbangers, Washington, D.C.

  • Stroke Art Fair, Berlin, Germany

  • This Must Be the Place, Thinkspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, curated by Faesthetic Magazine

  • Featured Artist, Shop Made in DC, Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.

  • Ongoing Art Contributor, ONDECK Charity Auction, Missoula, MT

Speaker

  • Artist Talk, closing of solo exhibition Late Stage Mythology, Lost Origins Gallery, Washington, D.C.

  • Artist Talk, closing of solo exhibition MIXTAPE, Lost Origins Gallery, Washington, D.C.

  • Artist Talk, closing of solo exhibition The Phantom Arena, Lost Origins Gallery, Washington, D.C.

  • Color Forecasting 2014, invited speaker and consultant in collaboration with VICE Media and the Comex Group for forecasting new color systems and paint formulations, New York, NY

  • The Duality of Life as an Artist and Designer, Art Directors Club of Washington, D.C.

  • Guest Lecturer & Critique Advisor, Corcoran College of Art + Design, Washington, D.C. (2009–Present)

  • Music Packaging in the iPod Age, American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Design Conference, Denver, CO

  • The Art of Versions, Corcoran College of Art + Design, Washington, D.C.

Publications & Features

  • Caketrain Journal, cover artwork, Issue 07, December 2009, Pittsburgh, PA.

  • Music Graphics, reproduction, art direction by Clifford Stoltze, Rockport Publishers Inc., 2008, Beverly, MA.

  • Simply Packaging, reproduction, viction:workshop ltd, 2008, Hong Kong, China.

  • WEB Design Notes: Making Magazine of Web Design, “The World Site Gallery” by Egami Kaori, feature & reproduction, Issue No. 2, 2007, Japan.

  • STEP Inside Design: The 100 Winners of State of Design, “Ashby Design/Imagefed” by Tiffany Nicole Slade, feature & reproduction, Vol. 23, No. 2, March/April 2007, New York, NY.

  • IDN International Designers Network: Crime & Ornament, “It’s an Ornamental World/Matthew Curry,” interview & reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 02, Hong Kong, China.

  • Post Modern Bible Stories: Sunday School Never Looked Like This, Relevant Books.

  • Digital Arts (Digit), cover artwork, Issue 95, London, UK.

  • Canceled Flight: 101 Tried and True Pigeon Killin’ Methods, edited by A. V. Jones, Throckmorton Press, original contribution, New York, NY.

  • The Drama: The A to Z Issue, reproduction, Issue 5, Richmond, VA.

  • XFUNS Creative & Design Magazine, “SOHO,” interview & reproduction, No. 21, Taiwan.

  • STEP Inside Design: Special Annual Issue—The Hottest Website Designs, “Best of Web Design” by Michelle Taut, review & reproduction, Vol. 21, No. 5, New York, NY.

  • Taschen: Best of Web Design Portfolio, reproduction, Taschen.

  • Blond Magazin: Arbeit, feature & reproduction, Hamburg, Germany.

  • Color: A Skateboard Culture Magazine, Faesthetic editorial, reproduction, Issue 3.2, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  • EMPTY Design Magazine, “Ninja Who? Matthew Curry” by Rory Woods, feature & reproduction, No. 02, Darlinghurst, Australia.

  • étapes: graphisme design image création, feature & reproduction, Issue 114, Paris, France.

  • étapes: international, feature & reproduction, Issue 02, Paris, France.

  • Katalogue: New Art, reproduction, Vol. 01, London, UK.

  • Digital Arts (Digit), feature & reproduction, Issue 79, London, UK.

  • Kmag (Knowledge Magazine), “Art: Ninjacruise” by Rahul Verma, review & reproduction, Vol. 2, Issue 49, London, UK.

  • Impress Web Design Magazine, interview & reproduction, Vol. 53, Seoul, Korea.

  • WIRED, editorial guest illustration, New York, NY.

  • Faesthetic, reproduction, Issue 4, edited by Dustin Amery Holstetler, Toledo, OH.

  • .net Magazine, “Gallery: Net’s Best Digital Artists,” original contribution, Issue 112, Bath, England.

  • Urban Calligraphy and Beyond, reproduction, Markus Mai & Arthur Remke, Gestalten Verlag, Berlin.

  • Semi-Permanent: The Book, reproduction, Design is Kinky, Sydney, Australia.

Awards

  • Grammy® Nomination, Best Record Packaging, Radio Retaliation, Thievery Corporation, ESL Music.

  • Grammy® Nomination, Best Record Packaging, Versions, Thievery Corporation, ESL Music.

  • Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington, Gold Award, Best Packaging, Versions, Thievery Corporation, ESL Music.

  • Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington, Silver Award, Best Packaging, The Corcoran College of Art + Design Interactive Brochure.

  • Communications Design Annual 47, Audio/Visual Packaging, Versions.

  • STEP Inside Design, 50 Best of Web Design, personal portfolio Imagefed.com.