Biography

Matthew Linton grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  He joined the faculty at the University of Houston- Clear Lake in the Fall of 2000 as an Assistant Professor of Visual Arts teaching lens media (photography, digital photography, and video).  He arrived by way of Washington where he had just completed a one-year Visiting Artist position in Photography at Western Washington University.  Prior to his visiting position, he was Academic Coordinator of Photography at the Boston Architectural Center.  At this accredited architecture and design school, Matthew was responsible for the creation of a new digital photography facility and curriculum.  He also taught photography, design, and an innovative course in digital printmaking.  He holds his BFA in Photography from Arizona State University and his MFA in Critical and Visual Studies from Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Matthew generally chooses photography and video performance as his primary media.  However, it is not uncommon for these works to merge with sound, mark making, and sculpture to create installation environments and experiences.  Generally described as a post-conceptualist because of his tendency towards conceptual work while never losing focus on aesthetics, Matthew Linton’s statement of intent is very much dependant upon the particular body of work.  A firm believer in the “hand-in-hand” relationship between theory and practice, every move artistically is thoroughly thought out and planned.  This is not to say that Linton is resistant to working intuitively.  On the contrary, visual and artistic play is considered the greatest fodder for future exploration.  Simply, one can depend upon Matthew to have a definite underlying agenda in all of his projects.  While not necessarily didactic in nature, concept is consistently part of the process.  Matthew has exhibited his artwork internationally and has also spent time and effort on collaborative projects. He has been fortunate to join up with some of the great artists he has known. He was one of the first members of Kaiju Big Battle (playing Atomic Cannon), is one half of the sound art/performance team Synaptic Breakdown, and has had the great opportunity to work under artist/film-maker Julian Hoeber.

While in Boston, Matthew was one of the founding members of a not for profit artist organization known as the Bad Girrls Studio which provides studio and gallery space to artists, as well as outreach programs for the surrounding community.  He also began what has been a long history of jurying and curating various exhibitions.  This creative outlet began when Matthew developed a new exhibition space within the Boston Architectural Center for artists to display work pertinent to students’ visual and academic growth. He continues in this vein at UHCL with a new gallery opened in 2004.

For a short resume, please click here. This document updated 2/12/06.