Matthew Offenbacher seeks constructive, positive positions at often difficult intersections of individuals, communities and institutions. His work has been called “freakishly egoless”, vulnerable, funny and queer. Offenbacher grew up in Portland, Oregon and currently lives in Seattle, Washington, USA. He also runs a press which publishes ‘zines and books by Northwest artists.
Exhibitions and Projects
2023Kavana Cooperative, Seattle, Count the Stars, for Rosh Hashanah
2020New Archives, a community art journal (with S. Kahlon)
2020Make the Bend, a fundraising project (with F. Perrine)
2019Oxbow, Seattle, Feelings
2019Cogean?, Bremerton, Hume’s Tomb / A Sharper Image
2017V2, Seattle, American Painting Today
2016INCA, Seattle, The Lion Side of Under the Porch
2015Seattle Art Museum, Deed of Gift (with J. Nemhauser)
2015Veronica, Seattle, The V&A
2015Project Diana, Seattle, My Name is Asher Lev
2015SOIL Gallery, Seattle, Bed Bath & Between (with N. Nyland and J. Alexander)
2014Cornish College of Arts, Seattle, Thanks, (with V. Haven and D. Cerny)
2013Lather Daddy Laundromat, Seattle, Flower Paintings
2012SOIL Gallery, Seattle, Decor for Interstellar Flight
2012Sea-Tac Airport, Decor for Interstellar Flight
2012Rod Pulliam Gallery, Portland, Flower Paintings
2011Seattle Catalog LLC (with G. Bennett, W. Greenwood)
2011Vignettes, Seattle, The Divided $elf
2011Prole Drift, Seattle, An Empty Vase (with J. Heishman)
2010The Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, The Gift Shop
2010The Hedreen Gallery, Seattle University, Intellectual Property (with Y. Ott)
2009Howard House, Seattle, C.A.T.
2009Helm Gallery, Tacoma, Second People, (with G. Bennett, J. Heishman, H. Hinrichs)
2008Howard House, Seattle, Light show for UNESCO
2008La Norda Specialo, a fanzine for artists’ writings (ongoing with many collaborators)
2007Howard House, Seattle, Captain of a Huckleberry Party
2006Howard House, Seattle, God, Sex, the Great Outdoors
2005Quint Contemporary Art, La Jolla, Beaver Painting
2005A Special Project for Bard Hall at the First Unitarian Church, San Diego
2004Quint Contemporary Art, La Jolla, New Paintings
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023Corner Gallery, Andes NY, Gathering
2023MOHAI, Seattle, 25 Years of the Neddy Awards
2018Archer Gallery, Vancouver, I say: “RADICAL!” you say: “FEMINIST!”
2018festival:festival, Seattle, Restorative and Healing Tactics
2018Valley and Taylor, Seattle, Drawing House
2017Specialist Gallery, Seattle, Forever 22+
2017Bridge Productions, Seattle, Many Lands
2016Common Area Maintenance, Seattle, Essential Skimming
2015The Evergreen Gallery, Olympia, Sensations that Announce the Future
2015Hedreen Gallery, Seattle U., Good Neighbor
2015Velouria, Seattle, =^._.^=
2015The London Plane, Seattle, Vases for Branches & Flowers
2015Quint Contemporary, San Diego, Summer Group Exhibition
2015Vital 5 at King Street Station, Seattle, Out of Sight
2015The New Foundation, Seattle, International Supermarket Survey (publication)
2014Foundation B.a.d, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Kunstweekend Charlois
2013Cornish College of Arts, Seattle, Neddy at Cornish Exhibition
2013Frye Art Museum, Seattle, Chamber Music
2012Tacoma Art Museum, The 10th Northwest Biennial (with Seattle Catalog LLC)
2012Hedreen Gallery, Seattle U., The Rug Pulled Out From Underneath ...
2012Cornish College of Arts, Seattle, Old Ghost Ranges, Sunken River, Come Again
2011Seattle Art Museum, Reclaimed
2011Cornish College of Arts, Seattle, Being There
2011Nepo House, Seattle, The Pajama Game
2010Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, The Arc of Picasso
2010Grey Gallery, Seattle, Parallel Universe
2009Howard House, Seattle, Build-a-house/Open House
2009California Center for the Arts, Escondido, Quint: Three Decades
2008Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, Weighing and Wanting
2005Quint Contemporary, La Jolla, On the Floor, Wall, and Ceiling
2004ACME., Los Angeles, Singing My Song
Selected Writing
2023Frye Art Museum, Lunch Painting by Katherine Bradford
2021Hyperallergic, Seattle Museums Are Artwashing Their Way Back to “Normal”
2021Melanie Flood Projects, “Dawn Cerny: Weeping Willow Folding Chair”
2020New Archives, “The Girl and the ...” (periodical)
2013Hedreen Gallery, Seattle University, “New Blank Document”, Breathe (catalog)
2012La Norda Press, “SPQR”, Closed Fist Open Hand (book, with D. Webb)
2012La Norda Press, “Why you should care about Czech Cubism” (periodical)
2012Henry Art Gallery, “Conversation”, Hello: the Art of Jeffry Mitchell (catalog)
2011Henry Art Gallery and Publication Studio, The Gift Shop (catalog)
2011SOIL Gallery, “Joey Veltkamp”, Members Catalog (catalog)
2010Lawrimore Projects, “Dear Carolina”, Got Art? (catalog)
2009La Norda Press, “Green Gothic” (periodical)
Selected Reviews
2020Vansynghel, Margo, “New Northwest art journal wants to know...”, Crosscut, 5/27
2019Keimig, Jasmyne, “A White Dude Explores Supremacist Ideologies...”, The Stranger, 6/24
2019Kurtz, Katie, “Hot take!”, pnwartnow, 2/2
2016Vansynghel, Margo, “Painting’s Not Dead”, City Arts, December
2016Kangas, Matthew, “American Painting Today”, Visual Art Source, 12/16
2015Graves, Jen, “The Most Unusual Art Gift Ever”, The Stranger, 5/6
2015Clemans, Gayle, “Seattle Painter Turns His Award Into a Gift...”, The Seattle Times, 6/21
2015Demetre, Jim, “Good Deed”, Seattle Magazine, December
2015Morser, Juli Goetz, “Formerly Censored Painting Now Belongs to SAM”, Vashon Island Beachcomber, 6/21
2013Manitach, Amanda, “Art in Unexpected Places”, City Arts, October
2012Graves, Jen, “I Love What You’ve Done With Your Spaceship”, The Stranger, 8/7
2011Graves, Jen, “Joy and Elusiveness”, The Stranger, 9/7
2010Beal, Suzanne, “Art of Conversation”, City Arts, July
2009Graves, Jen, “Art is Embarrassing”, The Stranger, 10/27
2009Graves, Jen, “Indian Gifts”, The Stranger, 4/21
2008Graves, Jen, “La Especial Norte #1”, The Stranger, 4/22
2008Graves, Jen, “The Backroom”, The Stranger, 12/2
2007Graves, Jen, “White Weasels”, The Stranger, 10/10
2007Hackett, Regina, Seattle PI, 10/18
2006Lippens, Nate, “What’s Happening”, Seattle PI, 9/29
2005Pincus, Robert L., “Animal House”, San Diego Union Tribune , 6/9
2004Reed, Victoria, “Matthew Offenbacher”, Artweek, v.35:3, April
Awards
2022Collective Power Fund, NW Film Forum + Andy Warhol Foundation
2019smART ventures, City of Seattle
20184Culture Art Projects Grant
2016Coast Time Residency, Culter City, Oregon
2014The New Foundation Residency Program Fund
2013Neddy at Cornish Award in Painting
2013Stranger Genius Award Short-List
2012Seattle Storefronts Creative Enterprise (with Seattle Catalog)
2010Artist Trust GAP Grant
2009Betty Bowen Award, Kayla Skinner Special Recognition
20094Culture Individual Artist Award
Education
1989University of California, Santa Cruz
1994Tufts University, Bachelor of Arts in American Studies
Teaching
2021University of Washington, Visiting Artist
2018Pacific Northwest College of Art, Low-Res Graduate Mentor
2017Seattle University, Adjunct Faculty
2017Oakland High School, Visiting Artist
2017Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp In Situ Program, Visiting Artist
2016Seattle University, Adjunct Faculty
2016Centrum, Visiting Artist for the Emerging Artist Residency
2016Cornish College, Visiting Artist
2016Seattle University, Visiting Artist
2016University of Washington Seattle, Visiting Artist
2016University of Washington Bothell, Visiting Artist
2015University of Washington, Strange Coupling, Community Artist
2015Cornish College, Seattle, Visiting Artist
2013University of Washington, Nebula Project, Adjunct Faculty
2012University Child Development School, Seattle, Visiting Artist
2010Ingraham High School, Seattle, Visiting Artist
2004University of California, San Diego, Adjunct Faculty
Collaborators