Gordon Matta-Clark
© M HKA/Florent Bex
1943 - 1978
Born in .
Gordon Matta-Clark (1943-1978) was one of the sons of the famous Chilean surrealist Roberto Echaurren Matta. After studying architecture in New York, he quickly gained his place in the margin of the prevalent architecture. In the 70s, he was very active in the New York avant-garde scene. However, he preferred to explore the limits of architecture and art, rather than to be an architect or artist as such. Through his work, he criticised the conventions within architecture and the visual arts, and he also demanded attention for problems concerning social and urban development. The interventions in the 60s and 70s emphasized the condition of NYC as a ‘land of demolition’. Gordon Matta-Clark didn’t destruct anything himself, but, as he put it “experiment with the alternative uses of those places that we are most familiar with”. He called his work performances. Matta-Clark saw the making of incisions and the transforming of buildings as a part of this work. To understand his work, we have to look at all the components, so also the thread that forms the intervention itself as well. None of those interventions stood the test of time, because the buildings were teared down. For that reason, drawings and pictures are the only witnesses of this strange architectural method, and therefore, his work has a strongly temporal nature. His pictures, however, are not only representatives of those interventions: Matta-Clark enlarged and cut up the colour pictures and the cibachromes. By reassembling them, he tried to suggest the spatial experience of his interventions as good as possible.
Media
>Portrait by Flor Bex, 1977
>'Gordon Matta-Clark in 700 words', 2012 [Text]
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Garbage Wall, 1970.Installation.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Chinatown Voyeur, 1971.Video, 00:60:00.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Fire Child, 1971.Video, super 8mm film on video, 00:09:47 .
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Tree Dance, 1971.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:09:32.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Clockshower, 1971-1976.Video, 00:13:50.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Automation House, 1972.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:32:00.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Food, 1972.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:43:00.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Fresh Kill, 1972.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:12:56 .
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Open House, 1972.Video, super 8mm film on video, 00:41:00.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Wallspaper, 1972.Installation.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Fresh Air Cart, 1972.Performance, steel cart with nylon canopy, two seats, oxygen tank, cart: 175.3 x 165.1 x 85.1 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Sauna View, 1973.Video, 00:61:30.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Walls Paper, 1973.Book, ink, paper, 25.8 cm x 19.8 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Clockshower, 1973.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:13:50.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Bingo/Ninths, 1974.Video, super 8mm film on video, 00:09:40.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Splitting, 1974.Video, super 8mm film on video, 00:09:40.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Bingo, 1974.Intervention.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Conical Intersect, 1975.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:18:40.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Day's End, 1975.Video, super 8mm film on video, 00:23:10 .
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Conical Intersect, 1975.Intervention.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Day's End (also called Day's Passing), 1975.Intervention.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, The Wall, 1976-2007.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:15:04.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Letter from Gordon Matta-Clark to Florent Bex, 8.11.76, 1976.Letter.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Letter from Gordon Matta-Clark to Florent Bex, 28.7.76, 1976.Letter.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, City Slivers, 1976.Video, super 8mm film on video, 00:15:00.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Substrait (Underground Dailies), 1976.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:30:00.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Gordon Matta-Clark, 1977.Book, ink, paper, 30.5 x 22 cm, 49 p., language : English, Dutch, publisher : ICC/Internationaal Cultureel Centrum, Antwerpen.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Cherica Convents , A Jacob's Ladder. Remembering Gordon Matta Clark., 1977-2013.Video, hard disc with digital “hd pro res quick time” , 00:35:00.
>Florent Bex, Gordon Matta-Clark, Registered letter of Marcel Peeters nv to ICC, 29.7.1977, 1977.Letter, ink, paper.
>Florent Bex, Gordon Matta-Clark, Letter to Marcel Peeters by Florent Bex, 4-10-1977, 1977.Letter, ink, paper.
>Florent Bex, Gordon Matta-Clark, Letter of the Belgian Association of Art Critics with reward of Best Exhibition, 1977.Letter, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Advertisement [Advertentie], 1977.Miscellaneum, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Sous-Sols de Paris [Paris Underground], 1977-2005.Video, super 8mm film on video, 00:25:20.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Florent Bex, Prints from the 35 mm negatives from ICC Archive about Gordon Matta-Clark & Jacobs Ladder, 1977.Photography.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque: photographic documentation, 1977.Photography.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque, 1977.Print, paper, 89 x 62 cm/ 91,5 x 64,5 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Letter from Gordon Matta-Clark to Florent Bex, 11.9.77, 1977.Letter.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Florent Bex, Letter from Gordon Matta-Clark to Florent Bex, 25.7.77, 1977.Letter.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque, 1977.Intervention.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Jacob's Ladder, 1977.Intervention.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque, 1977-2005.Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:44:00.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque (Doors Crossing), 1977.Installation, wood, 198 x 77 x 4 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque # 669, 1977.Photography, cibachrome, tape, hard board, plexi, 175 x 105 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Alte Schuppen wurden zu kühnen Skulpturen, 1979.Article, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Antwerpen wil uniek kunst-huis slopen, 1979.Article, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Stichting Gordon Matta-Clark, GvA, 16-10-79, 1979.Article, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Stichting wil project in Antwerpen Behouden, 1979.Article, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Stichting Gordon Matta-Clark, advertisement, 1979.Article, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, De Brokstukken vlogen Ogier om de oren. Slopingswerken op Ernest Van Dijckkaai: start of formaliteit., 1980.Article, paper, ink.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Gordon Matta-Clark : A Retrospective, 1985.Book, ink, paper, 30.4 x 26.6 cm, 152 p., language : English, publisher : Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, ISBN : 0-933856-20-2.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Fresh Air Cart, 1985.Object, plastics.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Het Gevecht Neemt Geen Einde, 1987.Article, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Gordon Matta-Clark: Een Retrospectief Overzicht 1968-1978, 1987.Book, ink, paper, 27.5 x 21 cm, 31p., language : Dutch, publisher : Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, Antwerpen.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Press release Office Baroque.Article, paper, ink.
>Florent Bex, Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque: color slides.Photography, color slide.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Splitting: Four Corners, 1974.Photography, vintage print, b/w photo, 30.4 x 24 cm, image: 22.5 x 19.5 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Splitting: Four Corners, 1974.Intervention.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Day's End (also called Day's Passing) - 4.Photography, vintage print, b/w photography, 23.8 cm x 29.9 cm image 23.7 cm x 22.5.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Day's End (also called Day's Passing) - 3.Photography, vintage print, b/w photography, 20.2 cm X 25.2 cm image 19 cm x 24 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Day's End (also called Day's Passing) - 2.Photography, vintage print, b/w photography, 30.3 cm x 23.9 cm image 20.2 cm x 22.6 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Day's End (also called Day's Passing) - 1.Photography, vintage print, b/w photography, 20.3 cm x 25.3 cm image 24 cm x 19 cm.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque removals: photographic documentation.Photography.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque: sketches.Drawing, ink, paper.
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Demolition Office Baroque: Photos .Photography.
Exhibitions & Ensembles
> Exhibition: AMBERES – Roberto Bolaño’s Antwerp. 07 June 2019 - 15 September 2019.
> Exhibition: A NON-U-MENTAL HISTORY OF M HKA – Part 1: Foundation Gordon Matta-Clark. 02 May 2021 - 29 August 2021.
> Exhibition: Dear ICC – Aspects of contemporary art in Belgium 1970-1985. 18 December 2004 - 27 February 2005.
> Exhibition: Gordon Matta-Clark. 08 October 1977 - 06 November 1977.
> Exhibition: Gordon Matta-Clark: Anarchitectuur [Gordon Matta-Clark: Anarchitecture]. 05 October 2012 - 20 January 2013.
> Exhibition: Gordon Matta-Clark — Museum in Motion. 23 August 2022 - 30 April 2023.
> Exhibition: Gordon Matta-Clark – Retrospective 1968-1978. 21 June 1987 - 16 August 1987.
> Exhibition: INBOX: Ziekenhuisschool 2018. 09 March 2018 - 25 March 2018.
> Exhibition: Museum E!: Els Vanden Meersch – Storyboard. 28 January 2017 - 25 February 2017.
> Exhibition: The Collection. 28 April 2017 - 31 December 2021.
> Exhibition: The collection II – Winter 2002. 23 November 2002 - 09 February 2003.
> Exhibition: The collection XX: Jubilee. Who's got the Big Picture?. 29 June 2007 - 18 November 2007.
> Exhibition: The collection XXXIII – The Collection as a Character. 07 June 2013 - 22 September 2013.
> Exhibition: Visite Roeselare – The Green Line. 05 May 2016 - 19 June 2016.
> Ensemble: Aanwinsten 2013 [Acquisitions 2013].
> Ensemble: actie.
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> Ensemble: An Architecture for Art - Gordon Matta-Clark.
> Ensemble: Anarchitectuur [Anarchitecture].
> Ensemble: Audiodescriptie - De Collectie.
> Ensemble: Cuttings.
> Ensemble: Demolition.
> Ensemble: Film & Videos of and with Gordon Matta-Clark.
> Ensemble: Foundation Gordon Matta-Clark.
> Ensemble: ICC POSTER ARCHIVE.
> Ensemble: M HKA_DEFAULT_PUBLICATIONS.
> Ensemble: NUCLEUS.
> Ensemble: Office Baroque.
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> Ensemble: Office Baroque.
> Ensemble: Office Baroque: History of the Project.
> Ensemble: 'Office Baroque': the process.
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> Ensemble: Performances & Interventions by Gordon Matta-Clark.
> Ensemble: Press Items Demolition.
> Ensemble: Stichting Gordon Matta-Clark.
> Ensemble: Vintage Prints.