Matt Donovan

The Pixel in the Swarm

February 11, 2016 – March 12, 2016

Matt Donovan’s current work is inspired by the low-resolution digital world, where avatars, memes and icons are the popular interface through which we experience culture. Matt’s newest series continues to explore how building toys such as Lego prime us for making in a digital environment, training us to “think digital” even before we are old enough to use computers.

The Pixel in the Swarm, as the title suggests, is a series of mosaics depicting macro images of swarming insects. The title is an adaptation of the phrase “the forest from the trees” and is meant to evoke the concept of the individual within the collective, or the byte within big data. The pieces reflect patterns from nature that are outside our usual experience, made even more remote through the abstraction resulting from their low-resolution reproduction. The result is a hybrid of bright colors, geometry, and natural pattern that only comes into focus when you stand back to take in the big picture.