Matt Minter’s “Modeling Parts” gets downright creepy
Horror and terror are often used synonymously, but the two words carry different connotations. In short, terror is the feeling experienced before a traumatic event; horror is experienced after. To experience both, possibly all at once, visit Matt Minter’s art and video exhibition, “Modeling Parts.”
Minter is based in Lexington, Kentucky, and has created dark countercultural projects using music, film, and illustration alike. For “Modeling Parts,” as well as his previous show “Makeup Applied,” Minter’s work takes inspiration from erotic and fetish comic illustrations from the ‘70s and the metal and punk scene of the ‘80s, using black and white illustrations of shocking imagery to create works that cause visceral reactions.
Symbols of death and decay make recurring appearances, whether it’s the maggots crawling across subjects’ bodies or the grinning skulls replacing their heads. Combining these symbols with bondage erotica—legs in thigh-high boots, arms wielding chains and whips—the combination offers a grim, mysterious combination of conflicting emotions.
Several works have a subject—alive, dead, or disembodied—with their eyes staring into those of the viewer. Others include subjects watching the unfolding scene, creating an almost humorous level of self-awareness. The effect is both chilling and amusingly meta: as you look at Minter’s work, it looks back at you.
Minter’s exhibition opens at 6:30 p.m. this Saturday at Artifact Studios and Gallery, with a video screening at 9 p.m. Viewers under 18 will not be admitted. Minter’s work can also be found on his Tumblr, worsethanjail.tumblr.com.