Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Terry.
Hi Matthew, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I got started in photography in 2004, at the age of 16 when I received my first film camera. I instantly fell in love with the ability to slow down the world and document my surroundings in a way that spoke to me, and hopefully spoke to others. In the decades that have followed, I’ve grown connections with people stretching far beyond my original dreams, crossing not only state lines, but oceans as well. I have exhibited and sold work at galleries in Rome, San Francisco, and Minneapolis, among others. Additionally seeing work published both nationally (Iowa, Vermont, New York, Atlanta) and internationally (Italy, England).
Currently, I live in Iowa, in the Quad Cities Area, and keep myself busy through several types of photography, including music photography and photojournalism, but by far, the main focus of my work is in contemporary exhibits and publication in various art/news outlets. I participate in several exhibits a year and have since my first public showing in 2013. I also have pieces in some major private collections. Recently, I was also featured in the Iowa 175th Anniversary edition of The Annals of Iowa and was a special guest at the 2021 Celebrate Iowa Gala.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think the road to being an artist is ever smooth, however I never went into it with the understanding that it would be. From my earliest days with the photographic medium it was made very clear to me that this path was not an easy one. Thankfully, or maybe unfortunately, I physically can’t stop creating, and so despite the struggles, I’ve stayed steadfast and consistent. As artists, I don’t think many of us have a choice of stopping, regardless of the struggle. To us creating is equivalent to breathing.
When it comes to specific struggles, I’d say ones it’s been those that are common with most artists: first and foremost, mental health and struggles with self-worth and personal confidence. The highs and lows of the art world can be heavy, and it causes inconsistencies with these aspects of mental health. And then of course monetary struggles. So many opportunities for artists come at a cost, or with fees that are increasingly difficult to commit to without any level of guarantee, and many artists are far from “rolling in money’ often the opposite is true. The old adage that exposure is as good as payment is quickly falling to the wayside.
I also like to live by the idea that ,smooth seas don’t make good sailors, and while I don’t think we should too heavily embrace the darker times of the struggle, I do know those struggles often lead to great creations, and at the end of the day there’s always an eventual payoff/connection that makes all the struggle seem less significant, at least momentarily.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
While I think all my work has a throughline, one that focuses heavily on absence, minimalism, and abstract storytelling, there’s a wide variety of subject matter I utilize to showcase these themes. Whether I’m capturing a landscape, architecture, or the human form, I create work that challenges the relation of inherent truths & fiction that occur in our existence.
By combining subjective perspective with universal appeal my work questions not only the identity of who we are, but also how we interact & relate to that which surrounds us. I want to show aspects of the world that go unnoticed or ignored, be it an abandoned building, someone struggling with depression, or some other seemingly forgotten aspect of daily life. I’ve felt lost within my surroundings as long as I can recall, and through this medium I’ve developed a way to connect with other individuals who also felt a similar level of detachment.
Utilizing a distinctly deliberate perspective influenced by combining the conscious and subconscious as a means to question reality, my conceptualized photos evoke a level of detachment subtle enough for most people to connect with. It is through this connection that I prove on a perceptual level just how related we actually are.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t really commit too heavily to good luck and bad luck being the cause for any of my greatest or lowest moments. While a lot of the moments/connections that truly formed me as an artist and brought me to where I am today came from being in the right place at the right time and/or meeting the right people, I don’t consider that as a result of luck as much as it is about consistency, persistence, and developing patterns that put you into those positions to begin with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.matthewterryphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Matthew_Terry_Photo
