Hans Schmitt-Matzen is an artist who lives and works in Nashville, Tenn. He received his bachelor of fine arts degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 2003 with an emphasis in Painting and Philosophy. Since 2001, his artwork has been featured in a number of national juried exhibitions and many independently curated art events. He often collaborates with his photographer friend Gieves Anderson, who lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Artist Statement

“My prints are experiments in referencing gestural languages in a more restrained, conceptual way rather than as a record of attractive accidents. I avoid producing my images with the acts normally used to achieve certain gestural effects. For example, many of these works consciously show marks that remind viewers of what is commonly called a ‘squeegee pull’ in painting. Squeegee pulls are created when large amounts of paint are dragged over the picture plane with a rubber-edged utensil. The visual effect of these gestures can be gorgeous: they begin as silky smears of color that eventually break up into lovely blips as the paint begins to deplete from the rubber edge. These kinds of marks are virtually impossible to completely control no matter how much experience the squeegee wielder possesses."

Shown Right: Tangent for Loop III, acylic serigraph on Rives BFK paper, 15.5" x 22.5"

Arts at the Airport receives funding for the visual arts from the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) and the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC). The Flying Solo Exhibition Series is funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Arts Commission. For more information about Arts at the Airport, please call (615) 275-1614, or send email to arts@nashintl.com.