Announcing the Thesis Defense of Matthew Dunn for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Emerging Media, Studio Art & Design track
My art examines visual culture using a plethora of techniques, formats, and materials. Recent works address family, pop-culture, and politics utilizing portraiture and short-form comics. Much of my art expresses humor through colorful, irreverent imagery, and several works employ satire to confront dogma with laughter.
Leveraging my experience as a professional illustrator and designer, I tailor my approach to each project, drawing upon divergent styles with an emphasis on polish and accessibility. I frequently adapt well-known images to recontextualize subjects. Family members are rendered as religious icons and pop-culture classics, and political figures appear as cartoon antagonists. In my investigation of graphic narrative, I produced single-panel political comics, a wordless story with rearrangeable panels, and a supervillain story in 1970s comic book style.
This body of work was produced with brushes and paint, touchscreen tablet, digital prints, LED lights, magnetic stock, and more. Though disparate in shape and content, the works are united by a joyful exploration of process and form.
Thesis Committee:
Chuck Abraham, Associate Professor (chair)
Victor Davila, Associate Professor
Keri Watson, Associate Professo
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