Screen Time | Matthew Steedman

Screen Time is a collection of pixelated oil paintings that explore human connection during an increasingly online age. “We are living through a time of significant social change. The way we connect with others has been shaped by the global pandemic and enabled by rapid technological advances. Many of our interactions are now carried out through a screen, and daily face to face contact with others is frequently obscured by masks”.

Matthew sources images from the internet as a starting point for his paintings. More recently he has also started using his own photos as reference material. His process employs contemporary digital technology alongside the historical medium of oil paint. An image is deconstructed in Photoshop then reproduced on canvas by hand. He paints one pixel at a time while digesting albums, podcasts, and audio books.

QR code paintings are a prominent feature of this series. “QR codes are something we see multiple times a day and something that will be with us for the foreseeable future. I consider the QR code to be loaded with meaning. With the upcoming digital passport in December, the QR code could be viewed as a symbol of freedom and ultimately a way to participate in society. Alternatively the QR code could be an image associated with segregation and exclusion”.

Matthew Steedman is a visual artist who lives in Palmerston North and paints from his Square Edge studio. Screen Time was produced over a 12 month period and is generously supported through the Palmerston North City Council’s Creative Communities Scheme.

Square Edge Arts Centre | Main Gallery

11th November – 28th November 2021