Matthew Krishanu
Matthew Krishanu makes works that convey the ambiguities of the postcolonial. Subtle shifts in register on the surface of his paintings imbue his subject matter with a sense of ambiguity and detachment. Through this Krishanu questions the positions of his subjects and depictions of landscapes in relation to the legacy of European colonialism. The subject matter of his works circles back to his early childhood spent in Dhaka where his parents moved to before he was one in order to work for the Church of Bangladesh.
Krishanu often employs a shallow pictorial depth and backgrounds that often veer into abstraction. Sometimes figures occupy those shallow spaces, existing in a liminal zone at a remove to their surroundings. This technique can be seen in a work such as 'Procession of Priests' (2020) in which nine priests walk barefoot in the same direction. On closer inspection it is apparent that there is one white priest in amongst this procession of South Asian faces. From a western perspective this is a small but important reversal; a lone white subject in a minority position. The painting subtly articulates the hybridised practices after the British had departed its colonies and speaks of the lives of those who lived in the postcolonial landscape. Empire might be history, but its effects persist, permeating the contemporary.
These are paintings that question where the space is for subjects who find themselves within a foreign, imperial narrative, an afterthought to the great ‘civilising’ mission. Often this is to be an observer rather than a participant, perhaps indeed observing the decline of that mission. His subjects might only be allowed marginal and precarious subject positions but there is a tenuous security in those positions, watching as imposed traditions slowly sink into the unforgiving land.
Matthew Krishanu (b.1980) was born in Bradford and based in London. He completed an MA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins in 2009. Recent solo exhibitions at Dhaka Art Summit (2023); Mead Gallery, Warwick (2022); Coventry Biennial (2022); Huddersfield Art Gallery (2018); Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham (2019); and Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (2019). He has recently been in the group institutional exhibitions ‘Mixing It Up’, Hayward Gallery (2021), 'John Moores Painting Prize' (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 2021) 'Everyday Heroes' (Hayward Gallery/Southbank Centre, 2020) and 'A Rich Tapestry' (Lahore Biennale, 2020).
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Listen Now: Matthew Krishanu in discussion with David Trigg
David Trigg, Exhibiting Faith, January 27, 2023 -
Now Showing: November’s must-see exhibitions
A.N, November 10, 2022 -
Must see exhibitions for November
Apollo Magazine, November 9, 2022 -
Secrets of the seesaw: the painter harnessing the unsettling power of the playground
Elizabeth Fullerton, The Guardian, November 8, 2022 -
Matthew Krishanu: ‘What you’re looking for, when you’re building something out of nothing, is recognition, familiarity’
Ben Luke, The Art Newspaper, November 4, 2021 -
Painting in Britain: Meet the artists giving a new lease of life to this enduringly popular art form
Ben Luke, Evening Standard, September 1, 2021 -
Pop-up space odyssey: how to do Frieze with no Frieze
Hettie Judah, The Guardian, October 9, 2020 -
The seven best contemporary shows to see in London right now
Ben Luke, The Art Newspaper, October 5, 2020 -
Seven Of The Best Painting Exhibitions To See In London This Autumn
Joanne Shurvell, Forbes Magazine, October 2, 2020
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Matthew Krishanu
Playground 9 Nov 2022 - 21 Jan 2023At first glance the works in ‘Playground' seem innocent enough: children climbing playframes, balancing on walls, going for walks and generally exploring the environment around them. It’s the kind of...Read more -
Picture Plane
Matthew Krishanu 16 Sep - 24 Oct 2020Matthew Krishanu's solo exhibition 'Picture Plane' consists of paintings where subtle shifts in register between different parts of the painted surface imbue his subject matter with a sense of ambiguity...Read more
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Book launch for Matthew Krishanu
Thursday 23 March March 20, 2023Join us on Thursday 23 March from 6-8pm for the launch of Matthew Krishanu's first monograph published in collaboration with Anomie Press. The publication includes...Read more -
'Mixing it up: Painting Today' at Hayward Gallery, London
Lydia Blakeley and Matthew Krishanu September 9, 2021An exhibition of 31 artists, including Blakeley and Krishanu, whose works entrance, transfix and challenge us, Mixing It Up celebrates paintings that bring together diverse...Read more -
Coventry Biennale
Matthew Krishanu featured in the 3rd Coventry Biennale exhibition ‘HYPER-POSSIBLE’ April 1, 2021During Coventry Biennial 2021, Matthew presented a newly commissioned artwork at Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum as well as works at the Herbert Art...Read more -
'Everyday Heroes' at Hayward Gallery, London
Lydia Blakeley and Matthew Krishanu included in the group show. November 4, 2020Everyday Heroes, a free open-air exhibition at the Hayward Gallery celebrating key workers in a vivid series of art and poetry commissions featuring Lydia Blakeley...Read more