If you’re interested in the intellectual efforts of VCU art students, the University Student Commons is a great place to start. Exhibitions of pieces produced by VCU’s finest are on display all semester in the Student Art Gallery.
Matthew Ritchie, a senior painting and printmaking and sculpture major, has displayed his work before. But this show in the student gallery marks his first solo presentation.
“I know what I’m doing. It’s just that other people might not understand it,” Ritchie said about his pop culture, abstract pieces. “It makes sense to me.”
With an attitude like that, it’s no wonder he listed distinct artists such as Andy Warhol and Takashi Murakami as his inspirations.
His work has been compared to such artists before, but he’s not insulted. His philosophy is that, like his work, their work was influenced by artists before them.
The slight replication of his influences reflects a major theme in his work. An absorption of his surroundings is evident in his paintings. Ritchie compared this to certain video games where characters can become what they’re around.
He submitted his work to a committee, comprised of people associated with the Anderson Gallery, to be considered for space and time in the student gallery.
Included in the collection are Ritchie’s favorite paintings. He used complex colors, layering and designs with supplies like panels, acrylics, oils and enamels during the creation process.
The construction time of each piece varied from hours to weeks. The most intense piece was a layered painting, which took between two and three weeks, Ritchie said. The entire exhibit is a collection of work from previous semesters and the summer.
Ritchie works at a local coffee shop to make ends meet, but he wants his work to be his main source of income one day. He recalled when an interior decorator just “had to have” one of his paintings, which hung in a salon where his then girlfriend worked. That month, his art paid the rent.
After graduation, Ritchie plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career as an artist.
As for success, he believes luck and timing are two of the biggest factors an artist depends on. By presenting his work, he hopes to gain more experience.
His entire exhibit bears no name, but each piece has been personally titled and is for sale.
Ritchie’s work is on exhibit through Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Student Art Gallery located at the Commons on the Main Street exit.