Riot Of Colour

Matt Gondek, self-proclaimed deconstructive pop artist, entrepreneur and podcaster, shares a glimpse of his defiantly colouristic world.

- Indran P

MATT GONDEK’S BODY of work is a subversive counterpoint to the truism that art is an embodiment of humankind’s tendency to seek order. In his world, chaos and disorder are the sense-making threads that weave together defiant, thought-provoking narratives.

Then, there is colour. Employing bright, bold Technicolour hues, the Los Angeles artist makes what he calls deconstructed pop art, wherein beloved cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny and Bart Simpson are re-presented in boundary-blasting ways across mediums that span painting, sculpture and collectible toys.

What about entertainment and media drew you to them as fodder for art?

When you consider classical artwork in museums, a significant portion of it revolves around themes of royalty and religion. During the times those works were created, the monarchy and the church were daily fixtures in popular culture. However, fast-forward to 2023, and these influences have waned. Instead, we find icons like Mickey Mouse and Bart Simpson taking their place. In a way, these characters can be seen as our modern-day gods. Given my upbringing with a punk mindset focused on anti-conformity, my work aims to deconstruct those in power, which now includes these characters. I call it deconstructed pop art.

Colour figures very heavily in your world. At what stage of your journey did you realise you could unlock its power in the way that you do?