McHenry County College’s Art Gallery is pleased to present Selections From the Irie Collection, a group exhibition curated from the collection of Matt Irie, a Chicago-based artist and instructor at MCC.

January 17 – February 24, 2023
McHenry County College
Galleries One & Two

Free and open to the public

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The work in this exhibition is a selection of pieces from my family’s collection. Most of it comes from trades, a few were gifts, and some pieces were purchased. As a student, peer, assistant, studio tech, and educator, I have been extremely fortunate to work with and get to know several artists I greatly admire.

Artists tend to generate a lot of stuff. Whatever doesn’t sell becomes a storage problem. Trading with other artists has been a great way of building a collection. There is something very special about trading work. It’s a mutual acknowledgment between artists and a sign of appreciation for each other’s enterprise. Of course, the work traded functions as the artists intend, but it also stands as a marker for a moment in time and a respectful exchange.

A collection of art in the home becomes comfortable amongst furniture and belongings. An opportunity like this exhibition at MCC allows the work to be seen outside its normal confines. New relationships are generated. While it is rewarding to have a collection of art at home, very few get to enjoy it outside of friends and family. Many of the pieces in the exhibition have only been on display once, and some of the work has never been exhibited until now. This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity for the work to be seen and appreciated by a wider audience.

My family and I enjoy living with this work immensely, and we are honored to share it with you here.

Works by: Mark Arctander, Balthus, Dan Bruttig, Ryan Travis Christian, William Conger, Gordon Dorn, Ryan Duggan, Jeanne Dunning, John Henderson, Mark Hogensen, Jerrold, Robert Lazzarini, Judy Ledgerwood, Casey Loose, Andrew Mackow, Jessie Mott, Ari Norris, Mike Rea, Keiler Roberts, Geoffrey Todd Smith, Craig Yu, and Olivia Zubko

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ABOUT THE COLLECTOR: Matt Irie received his MFA from Northwestern University, Evanston (2002). Irie completed a permanent commission for the Chicago Public Libraries in 2005. He participated in the Luleá Art Biennial, Luleá, Sweden (2009), and was included in Double Take, a public exhibition of site-specific sculptural works funded by The Public Art Fund at MetroTech, Brooklyn, NY (2010). In 2011 he had solo exhibitions at The Wright Museum of Art, Beloit, WI, and Ebersmoore Gallery, Chicago, IL. In 2012 & 2013, Irie was included in two-person exhibitions at Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, San Antonio, TX, and Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL. Most recently, Irie’s work was included in a two-person exhibition at Left Field Gallery, Los Osos, CA (2020), and Arresting Gestures, a solo exhibition at the Evanston Art Center, Evanston, IL (2021).

Matt Irie teaches painting and drawing at MCC. View Irie’s work at www.mattirie.com

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More events on this date

Tags: Andrew Mackow, Ari Norris, Balthus, Casey Loose, Craig Yu, Crystal Lake, Dan Bruttig, drawing, Geoffrey Todd Smith, Gordon Dorn, IL, Jeanne Dunning, Jerrold, Jessie Mott, John Henderson, Judy Ledgerwood, Keiler Roberts, Mark Arctander, Mark Hogensen, Matt Irie, McHenry County, McHenry County College, Mike Rea, Olivia Zubko, Robert Lazzarini, Ryan Duggan, Ryan Travis Christian, Selections From the Irie Collection, William Conger