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"I grew up in the middle of Pennsylvania," Gondek shares, referencing his rural upbringing outside of Pittsburgh, PA. With a background in digital illustration, Matt Gondek worked as a freelance illustrator who created merchandise for musical bands, long before he ever decided to pick up a paintbrush. As someone who identifies as "tactile," Gondek decided to begin painting "on a whim" and was instantly taken in by the new medium. His first painting was an exploding Mickey Mouse, namely, because Gondek wasn't sure just what to paint. But a previous illustration gig had him design "Mickey in one hundred different poses" and he drew his initial inspiration from there. Aer a short period of time, Gondek decided to host his first art show by hanging his paintings in a Pittsburgh bar, where they quickly sold out. With this invigorating confirmation and propelling energy, Gondek decided to make the leap and relocate to California to pursue his art career. "Deconstructed pop art" remains Gondek's main theme, and the cultural critique has been a part of his personality from a young age. When asked where he draws his inspiration from, Gondek shares how the religious icons and artworks of the past were considered the popular culture of the time, evidenced by the paintings and sculptures we now see displayed in great art museums around the world. In our time, Gondek argues, "our modern day gods are Mickey Mouse, Bart Simpson, etc." and Gondek is interested in "the tearing down of the new gods." He wants his art to critique what he considers to be the loss of individual personalities; to Gondek, "individuals are losing identities outside of what they own, or what they like." With various depictions of deconstructed, modern day icons revealing robotic parts underneath their smiling, plastic personas, his paintings have struck a chord. From Snoopy to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Goku, Gondek's depictions are vibrant, colorful, and saying something to the art novice and critic alike. But Gondek insists that he "isn't anything special." He works with acrylic paints that can be purchased from a local hardware store, and employs "the cheapest brushes I can find. No magic tools here." VUE ON | ARTISTS 58 VUENJ.COM

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