Artist Statement
“Historical sense and poetic sense should not, in the end, be contradictory, for if poetry is the little myth we make, history is the big myth we live, and in our living, constantly remake.” -Robert Penn Warren
I like to think that my work remakes and comments on history by incorporating shared pop-culture memories into visual records of the past. At times it can seem like there’s no distinction between “true” history and a collective pop history. Science fiction takes this one step further by introducing elements of otherness that we project onto our own social fears and concerns. I’m remaking history…with monsters and robots!
About the Artist
Matthew Buchholz fashions images of a fantastic past that never was, under the name of Alternate Histories. Using entirely digital sources, he refashions archival images to include monsters and science fiction elements, drawing the viewer’s eye to search for the anachronism. Buchholz has long been fascinated with the quality of vintage illustrations and photographs, as well as the wealth of inspiration from low-budget science fiction films. He uses a variety of archives and computer programs to complete the work.
A graduate of New York University’s School of Film/Television, Buchholz is originally from Tucson, Arizona. After working in the non-profit arts community in Brooklyn, he moved to Pittsburgh in 2008 to take advantage of the opportunities for artists. His show “Alternate Histories: Pittsburgh,” debuted at WildCard in Pittsburgh in August 2010. Buchholz lives in the Friendship area of Pittsburgh with his dog, Otis.
I’d love to hear from you – email me at ahistories [at] gmail.com
Alternate Histories 