Matthew Cowan
Matthew Cowan’s practice is in the realm of traditional customs and folklore. His works are photographs, videos, installations and performances, which play with the inherent strangeness of the continued popularity of long established folk customs in a modern world.
Matthew Cowan on CIRCUIT · 9 works
Background Scenes (2023)
Backgrounds Scenes reflects the artists' research into the history of the use of painted backgrounds in portrait photographic studios, a common practice throughout Europe and New Zealand in the 19th century.
Make a peace with the muddy legged cows (2018)
A folk song is sung to Mother Mary and the wild beasts to ensure the safety of farm animals as they are released into the outdoors in the springtime.
Horn Calls (2017)
A demonstration of the Finnish birch bark horn, traditionally sounded to call workers and scare dangerous predators.
Shooting at the Heavens (2015)
A demonstration of how to fire the Schaftböller, a traditional German cannon.
Writing & podcasts featuring Matthew Cowan
Magic Between Worlds: on Masons Screen
Magic Between Worlds: on Masons Screen
Sinead Overbye considers artists' approach to place and representation in the 2022-23 Masons Screen commissions.
CIRCUIT projects featuring Matthew Cowan
Slipping through the gap
Slipping through the gap
A selection of films from the collection of Arsenal Filminstitut and CIRCUIT which examine the work that moving images do in framing identity, place and imagination, and the productivity of gaps.