Matt Griffin
The Usual Suspect
Oil on Linen
855 x 655 mm
$8,900
Available
In ‘The Usual Suspect’, A tūī emerges from a whirl of movement, its form crisply resolved against a dissolving world. The painting lingers in a suspended instant where precision and presence converge. From Griffin, “A Tūī darts through a backyard in full bloom, its wings caught mid-spin beneath a canopy of cherry blossoms. The radial motion builds from the bird’s own path, creating a vortex of suburban nostalgia and native vibrancy. This piece captures the joy and unpredictability of the Tūī. This work places the viewer in the flight path, as though the Tūī has chosen to whirl right past your shoulder on a spring afternoon.” – Matt Griffin
Artist Bio
Matt Griffin is a contemporary New Zealand artist based in Auckland, known for his compelling large-scale portraits that explore the emotional resonance of both human and animal subjects. Working predominantly in charcoal, graphite, and aerosol spray paint, Griffin’s practice is grounded in realism and defined by its acute attention to expression, intimacy, and viewer engagement.
His compositions often straddle the threshold between photographic precision and raw emotional insight, inviting the viewer into a moment of suspended connection. Whether depicting an iconic figure, an anonymous face, or an animal subject, Griffin seeks to uncover a shared sense of dignity, presence, and vulnerability.