Matthew Bianchi (b. 1992) draws with pen and ink, and paints with watercolor. His body of work is strongly influenced by children’s literature and television, from classics such as Charlotte’s Web to more contemporary subjects, as well as children’s narratives of his own creation. Characters from animated films populate Bianchi’s artwork, but not as mere copies; they take on a life of their own and interact with characters of his own invention. Directly responding to his great personal interest in history, Bianchi often intermingles these subjects with histories of the American railroad, and World Wars I and II.
Bianchi’s blend of early childhood images with military and industrial themes creates a jarring contrast, but he wholeheartedly embraces these disparate elements and offers the viewer a unique opportunity to consider early innocence against a backdrop of adult furor and explore patriotic emotion as a mawkish evolution of juvenile sentimentality. His work challenges the viewer to set aside their preconceived notions.
The artist currently lives in Frankfort, IL, and joined Project Onward in 2013.
