"Matt Coyle stands as a masterful conjurer of the uncanny. His command of pen and ink transcends the ordinary, leading viewers into a realm where the familiar meets the disconcerting.
Coyle's artistic arsenal consists of pen, ink, gauche, air brush paints and coloured pencils—yet his noir-esque creations possess a disquieting likeness that blends into unsettling dreamscapes. The otherworldly texture of his works, rendered through the interplay of flat planes of colour and three-dimensional forms, blurs the lines between reality and illusion. Flecks of recognisable forms dissolve just as quickly as they appear. He plays with the surreal, leaving us entranced and unsure if what we see is truly there.
In the hands of Coyle, the mundane becomes mysterious. The result is an undeniably uncanny experience that perpetually eludes our comprehension. He intricately weaves the picture plane into a mesmerising tapestry, where elements fold in on themselves. The fusion of spray paint and mark-making adds layers of complexity, resulting in a kind of disturbing beauty that is both brooding and unbound.
Coyle's journey as an artist is further underscored by his publications, including the acclaimed graphic novels "Worry Doll" and "Registry of Death." These narratives transcend conventional storytelling. His approach to the comic medium lies not in text, but in the sequencing of carefully composed imagery. It is an orchestrated unveiling of nightmares, testament to his unparalleled skill as a storyteller. Coyle navigates the thin line between reality and illusion, light and dark. He is a versatile figure in contemporary Australian art, a true master of the uncanny."
Anthea Mentzalis
*This exhibition was made possible by the Australian Government's Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia