PleinAir Magazine – August 2019

(Wang) #1

36 August-September 2019 / http://www.outdoorpainter.com


nglishartistMatBarberKennedy
knowsthatwornandweathered
subjectstellthebeststories.He’s
beendrawntotheaging,decaying
partsof buildingsforas longas he
canremember.“I thinkthelifeof a city,of a cul-
ture,of a familyora business,is revealedinthe
waysthatourstructuresage,”hesays.Fornearly
30 yearshe’schanneledhisappreciationforthe
used nature of what he sees into art. “In some


senseI thinkmyworkis a kindof portraiture
hopingtorevealmorethanjusttheappearance
of things,butrevealing something of the life of
things,”hesays.

THEARTINADAPTABILITY
Anarchitect’sson,Kennedybegantoshift
towardfineartwhilestudyingarchitectureat
theUniversityof Sheffieldandthenat theRoyal
College of Art in London. “I started to explore

myideasaboutarchitecturethroughpaint,
collage,andmixedmedia,”hesays.Whileother
studentsconcernedthemselveswithhowthey
couldprotectthepristinequalityof whatthey
designed,Kennedywasexcitedat thethought
of howoccupantsandthepassageof timemight
affectandchangethestructures.“Tomeit was
allabouthowpeopleadapt,”hesays.“Wereno-
vate,repairdamage,andredecorate.Thepassing
of the seasons and the touching of a door handle

ElementsofwearandtearinMatBarberKennedy’stexturalwatercolorsshow
signsoflifeandhowweliveit.

——— BY STEFANIE LAUFERSWEILER ———


BETTER WITH TIME


MAT BARBER KENNEDY

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