HEDGE Gallery re-opens with Cleveland artist Matthew Gallagher’s exhibit Research and Development, a body of work reflecting on Gallagher’s experiences with the beauty of nature. Gallagher’s new pieces capture the awe inspiring emotions evoked by animal and plant life, honoring complexities with each nuance in their multi-disciplinary work. The exhibit is a combination of 2D and 3D work, enveloped in research and experimentation, which presents refreshing notions of new ideas developed by the artist during the Gallery's shut down period.

Gallagher practices art making with paint, ink, iron, bronze and encaustic wax, often combining mediums to build dimensional paintings and sculptures and experimenting with materials to expand their process. The color palettes in Matthew’s new work are expanding into more iridescent and acid tones, touching on the essence of nature we don’t normally experience, perhaps underwater or deeply embedded in rain forests, or with new life forms of the future.

Matthew states, “The most beautiful, complex, and magical things I have ever seen were not created by humans, but by the interconnectedness of energy, matter, and the inherent organization of our universe--nature. It is my mission to mix self-expression with the influence of natural forms. My processes provide another perspective on the astonishing beauty of the forces that surround us and are too often taken for granted.”

Since 2011, Matthew Gallagher has been using self-developed methods combining physics, chemistry and mathematics to create art. The extent of Gallagher’s work extends beyond various art mediums and formats; it is also entangled in community practices, a profound love for animals, and with people through performance, sound experimentation and recording. Matthew supports the work of experimental artists at their Cleveland studio and living space, R & D, which offers residencies for local, national and international artists.

Research and Development will be on view until August 7, 2020.

We're thrilled to be launching a new video project featuring an overview of Matthew Gallagher's current exhibition at the Gallery, Research and Development. ⁣ ⁣ Cleveland artist Don Harvey, who was a visiting professor at Oberlin College during Matthew's time there, joins in on the conversation. Don Harvey and Hilary Gent openly discuss the artwork in our current exhibit with artist Matthew Gallagher, and also share their experiences in art viewing and the evolution of our creative community during the pandemic.