Daniel Cooney Fine Art is very proud to announce KINDRED, a selection of drawings by Philadelphia based artist Rob Matthews. The show consists of 20 intimate drawings of the artist’s family including grandparents (pictured above), cousins, and in laws, each holding objects that are important to them. Included is a very special double-sided self-portrait of the artist. Each drawing is 7×7” in diameter on 9×9” square paper.

The content of Matthews work centers on two ideas within the Christian faith: that of Biblical literalism and spiritual occurrences under mundane circumstances. Furthermore, the exhibition serves as a personal family tree. Each image is inscribed on the reverse with the subject’s name, place of birth, who they are directly related to, their relationship to the artist and their current place of residence.

Each drawing is made with a very hard pencil using cross-hatching to render extreme detail that draws the viewer in to an intimate experience of examination. The wrinkles on a knuckle, strands of hair and writings on a mason’s bible are all clearly visible in these small drawings. The combination of craftsmanship, subject matter and the artists own unique intentions create portraits that are both tender and eerie.

Matthews is a native of Wilson, North Carolina and currently lives in Philadelphia. He received his MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and has had solo exhibitions at Gallery Joe, Philadelphia, The University of Alabama and Middle Tennessee University among others. His work is in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The North Carolina Museum of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the de Young Museum, San Francisco among others.