Matt Hoyt: Recent Past, 2010–2016
October 22, 2016–February 5, 2017
The sculptures of Matt Hoyt (American, born 1975) often evoke improbable growths from
the natural world: unknown seashells or bone fragments, barnacle accretions or twigs,
stones, pits, fungi, rinds, and husks. This near-familiarity draws us close—what exactly is
that? Detecting tool marks and other signs of human manipulation rather than organic
development, we edge closer still—how did he do that? Hoyt designed this installation of
more than 100 of his individual objects and sculptural groups specifically for the museum’s
Gallery for Small Sculpture. This survey of his recent sculpture is the most significant solo
exhibition of his work to date and his first one-person museum exhibition.
Hoyt does not directly base his works on found objects, but an uncanny quasi-recognition
inescapably colors the experience of these abstract sculptures. The matte, palm-sized
objects are laboriously crafted from unorthodox art materials, such as wood filler and
plumber’s caulk, on an improbably intimate scale. Each sculpture begs to be picked up and
turned over, palmed and worried like a lucky stone, or pocketed like a talisman. This is
visual art that wants to be haptic, that instantiates the human desire to apprehend through
touch. Hoyt’s haunting sculptures demonstrate the artist’s extraordinary investment of time
in his craft, even as they evoke more epic durations, such as evolutionary or geological
time. They invite imagination and contemplation, and in so doing they resist speed—a rare
tonic in frenetic times.
This exhibition is organized by Senior Curator Cathleen Chaffee.
Related Program
ArtCart: Matt Hoyt
Our mobile ArtCart brings interactive art activities for kids and families into the exhibition
galleries.
Friday, November 4, 2016
noon–1:30 pm
Sunday, November 13, 2016
2–3 pm
Case 1
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
4 1/4 x 5 1/2 x 6 3/4 inches (10.8 x 14 x
17.1 cm)
Case 2
Untitled (Group 154), 2013–16
Various putties
Dimensions variable
Case 3
Untitled, 2016
Various putties
1 x 2 x 1 1/2 inches (2.5 x 5.1 x 3.8 cm)
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
2 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (6.4 x 14 x
8.9 cm)
Untitled, 2015–16
Various putties
1 x 2 1/4 x 1 1/4 inches (2.5 x 5.7 x 3.2
cm)
Untitled, 2010–16
Various putties
1 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 2 inches (3.2 x 5.7 x 5.1
cm)
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
3 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (8.9 x 11.4 x
6.4 cm)
Case 4
Untitled (Group 153), 2014–16
Various putties and styrene plastic
Dimensions variable
Case 5
Untitled, 2016
Various putties and PVC pipe
2 x 3 1/2 x 4 3/4 inches (5.1 x 8.9 x 12.1
cm)
Ribcage/Pelvis/Tailbone, 2012
Various putties and paper clay
3 3/4 x 8 1/2 x 6 inches (9.5 x 21.6 x 15.2
cm)
Case 6
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
2 1/4 x 3 1/2 x 2 1/4 inches (5.7 x 8.9 x
5.7 cm)
Star Form, 2014–16
Various putties and epoxy resin
3 x 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (7.6 x 11.4 x 8.9
cm)
Star Formation, 2015–16
Various putties and plastic
3 1/4 x 4 x 4 inches (8.3 x 10.2 x 10.2
cm)
Case 7
Star Shell, 2016
Various putties
2 x 2 1/2 x 5 inches (5.1 x 6.4 x 12.7 cm)
Shell Form, 2014–15
Various putties
1 3/4 x 3 x 2 inches (4.4 x 7.6 x 5.1 cm)
Bone Formation, 2015
Various putties
2 x 3 x 3 1/2 inches (5.1 x 7.6 x 8.9 cm)
Case 8
Untitled (Group 152—Join), 2012–16
54 component objects comprising some or
all of the following: various putties, epoxy
resin, Krazy Glue, tempera, and spray
paint
Dimensions variable
Case 9
Untitled (Group 151—Detach), 2013–16
32 component objects comprising some or
all of the following: various putties,
tempera, and spray paint
Dimensions variable
Case 10
Untitled, 2016
Various putties
1 1/4 x 2 1/4 x 2 1/2 inches (3.2 X 5.7 X
6.4 cm)
Untitled, 2011
Various putties, resin, and spray paint
1/2 x 3/4 x 3/4 inches (1.3 x 1.9 x 1.9 cm)
Conch, 2015–16
Various putties, tempera, and spray paint
4 1/2 x 9 x 5 inches (11.4 x 22.9 x 12.7
cm)
Case 11
Untitled (Group 142—Fragment), 2010–15
55 component objects comprising some or
all of the following: various putties, plastic,
Krazy Glue, tempera, and spray paint
Dimensions variable
Case 12
Untitled (Group 143—Combine), 2013–15
25 component objects comprising some or
all of the following: various putties,
tempera, and spray paint
Dimensions variable
Case 13
Star Form, 2014–16
Various putties
2 1/2 x 4 x 3 1/4 inches (6.4 x 10.2 x 8.3
cm)
Untitled, 2014–15
Various putties
3/4 x 2 x 3/4 inches (1.9 x 5.1 x 1.9 cm)
Shell Form, 2015
Various putties
1 x 5 x 1 1/4 inches (2.5 x 12.7 x 3.2 cm)
Case 14
Star Formation, 2016
Various putties and spray paint
1 3/4 x 3 1/2 x 2 inches (4.4 x 8.9 x 5.1
cm)
Exoskeleton, 2016
Various putties
3 x 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches (7.6 x 16.5 x
10.8 cm)
Star Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
2 x 3 x 3 inches (5.1 x 7.6 x 7.6 cm)
Star Form, 2013–14
Various putties
2 3/4 x 2 3/4 x 3 inches (7 x 7 x 7.6 cm)
Case 15
Untitled, 2014–16
Various putties
2 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 5 inches (6.4 x 16.5 x 12.7
cm)
Hexagonal Growth Pattern, 2016
Various putties, PVC foam, and
polyeurathane resin
4 1/2 x 6 x 13 1/2 inches (11.4 x 15.2 x
34.3 cm)
Case 16
Untitled (Group 155), 2012–16
Various putties
Dimensions variable
Case 17
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
2 1/4 x 6 1/2 x 3 1/4 inches (5.7 x 16.5 x
8.3 cm)
Untitled (Group 140—Break), 2014–15
9 component objects comprising some or
all of the following: various putties,
tempera, and spray paint
Dimensions variable
Case 18
Untitled (Group 156), 2010–13
Various putties, tempera paint, epoxy
resin, pastel shavings, and metal
Dimensions variable
Case 19
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
1 3/4 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/4 inches (4.4 x 11.4 x
5.7 cm)
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
1 3/4 x 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches (4.4 x 14 x
6.4 cm)
Untitled, 2014–16
Various putties
2 x 2 x 2 1/2 inches (5.1 x 5.1 x 6.4 cm)
Untitled, 2016
Various putties and tempera paint
3/4 x 1 3/4 x 1 1/4 inches (1.9 x 4.4 x 3.2
cm)
Untitled, 2015–16
Various putties and tempera paint
2 x 6 x 3 1/2 inches (5.1 x 15.2 x 8.9 cm)
[5]
Untitled, 2015–16
Various putties
1 x 1 1/2 x 1 inches (2.5 x 3.8 x 2.5 cm)
[6]
Untitled, 2016
Various putties
3/4 x 1 1/4 x 1 inches (1.9 x 3.2 x 2.5 cm)
[9]
Untitled, 2016
Various putties
1 1/2 x 3 x 2 1/2 inches (3.8 x 7.6 x 6.4 cm)
[10]
Untitled, 2014–16
Various putties
1 x 1 x 1 1/4 inches (2.5 x 2.5 x 3.2 cm)
[39]
Bone Formation, 2015–16
Various putties
2 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches (6.4 x 14 x 8.9 cm)
[44]
Spiral Shell, 2015–16
Various putties and PVC pipe
3 x 6 x 3 inches (7.6 x 15.2 x 7.6 cm)
[48]
Star Formation, 2015–16
Various putties and plastic
2 3/4 x 3 x 5 inches (7 x 7.6 x 12.7 cm)
[60 AD-ON]
Untitled, 2014–16
Various putties
1 x 1 3/4 x 2 inches (2.5 x 4.4 x 5.1 cm)
[65 AD-ON]
Untitled (Group 141—Connect), 2012–15
23 component objects comprising some or all of the following: various putties, tempera, and
spray paint
Dimensions variable