In creating my prints and installations I borrow heavily from comic books produced during the mid-twentieth century, both as a source of imagery, and for the variety of compositional strategies the genre’s narrative structure suggests. I often infuse these elements with themes, compositions, or references borrowed from across the western art historical canon.
These combinations and manipulations result in new, sometimes satiric narratives that critique the original sources’ problematic ideals of Western culture.Through this process I am also confronting my own privilege. My intention is to mine new value from these source materials and contribute to a broader conversation in which long-held, and seemingly intractable, social ideas are being re-examined.
Artist Biography
Matthew Borgen is a native of Akron, Ohio. He holds a BFA in drawing from the University of Akron and an MFA in painting from the University of Minnesota.
Since moving to Philadelphia in 2003, Borgen has presented his work in regional venues including The Woodmere Art Museum, The Fleisher Art Memorial (Wind Challenge), The Abington Art Center; The Barbara Crawford Gallery at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy; InLiquid Gallery; Mt. Airy Contemporary; James Oliver Gallery: The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Trenton, New Jersey; and The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, New Jersey.
Nationally he has been included in exhibitions at The Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, Michigan; The 621 Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida; The Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington, Massachusetts; H Gallery, Ventura, California; and Target Gallery, Alexandria, Virginia.
Borgen has served as Exhibitions Coordinator for Arcadia University since 2012. In this capacity he has designed exhibitions for artists such as Ai Wei Wei, Tacita Dean, Ray Johnson, Keith Haring, and Pati Hill. His curatorial projects include exhibitions of preparatory sketches by muralist David Guinn, a survey of the career of mid 20th-century artist John Hathaway, and a presentation of proofs and drawings related to the lithographs of Benton Spruance. More recently, Borgen organized solo exhibitions of the works of photographer Tamsen Wojtanowski and printmaker Jennifer Manzella.
Education
2002 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN MFA, Drawing and Painting
1998 University of Akron, Akron, OH BFA, Drawing
Awards & Honors
2022
Arcadia University Faculty Development Grant
2021
Paul Inderbitzin Award for Best in Show – Digital, The Ellarslie Open 37/38
5th Place, Adams County Arts Council Juried Art Exhibition
2019 Arcadia University Faculty Development Grant
2017 Arcadia University Faculty Development Grant
2007 Arcadia University Faculty Development Grant
2001 Zelda Berman Fliegel Scholarship
2000 Brown-Mackenzie Scholarship
1999 University of Minnesota Fellowship
1993 University of Akron Honors Scholarship
Bibliography
Print
2021
The Woodmere Annual 79th Juried Exhibition: Seeing the Story. Catalogue. Published by Woodmere Art Museum.
2009 Arcadia University: Art and Design Faculty Catalog. Glenside: Published by University via Blurb.com, 2009
2002 New American Paintings: The MFA Annual 2002, Boston: Open Studios Press, 2002
1997 Stamp, Lew, “Neighborhood Art Brings City to Life,” Akron Beacon Journal, June 30, 1997
“UA Students Share Insights on Art Project,” West Side Leader, [Akron, OH] July 17, 1997
Online
2021
Rule, Doug, “Gallery: ‘Movements, Moments’ at Torpedo Factory Arts Center.” metroweekly.com. February 26, 2021
Jenkins, Mark, “In the galleries: A focus on the intersection of art and movement.” washingtonpost.com. February 26, 2021
2008 “A Night at Salon,” First Person Arts, First Person Arts, August 14, 2008, Web, November 7, 2013
Kelley, Brian, “Matthew Borgen @ First Person Arts tonight in Philly,” Technology and the Arts, Brian Kelley, August 13, 2008, Web, November 7, 2013, Print
Publications Authored
2014 "The Meditation of the Vortex", exhibition catalog, February 2014, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Philadelphia, PA
Publications
2014 Borgen, Matthew, “The Mediation of the Vortex,” exhibition catalog, February 2014, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Philadelphia, PA
Collection
Capital One Corporate Collection Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
Professional Experience
2012 – Present Exhibitions Coordinator, Art Research Collaboration (ARC) Exhibition Program, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2007 - Present Adjunct Professor, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Lectures and Talks
2022
Artist talk, Trajectories, James Oliver Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2021
Fleisher From a Distance: Wind Challenge Edition, Online
2019 Tamsen Wojtanowski and Jennifer Manzella panel discussion, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA Moderator
2017 Comic Spatial Analysis, The Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ
Cities in the Sky, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
2015 “Chaos in Patterns: One Artist in a Series of Many,” Jennifer Titone ’11, Arcadia University Alumni Artist Lecture Series, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA Moderator
2014 “You’ll Understand When You’re Older,” Jannalyn Bailey, Arcadia University Alumni Artist Lecture Series, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA Moderator
2013 A Conversation with Jamar Nicholas and Mike Manley, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA (Moderator)
2012 Arcadia University Faculty Exhibition: The Persistence of Drawing, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside PA
2011 Arcadia University Faculty Exhibition: Scale 1:1, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
2009 Faculty Exhibition 2009: The Artist and the Object, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside PA
2008 First Person Art Salon at the Gershman Y, Philadelphia, PA
2005 Urban Institute for Contemporary Art, Grand Rapids, MI
Curatorial projects
2019 Tamsen Wojtanowski: Between My Finite Eyes, Harrison Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Jennifer Manzella: City Blocks, Rosedale Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2018 Lauren Vanni: Outside In, Harrison Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Carole Loeffler: Make What You Need, Rosedale Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Abbey Ryan: the light the shade, Harrison Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2017 Living Rocks: Benton Spruance and the Lithograph Process, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Alumni Spotlight Exhibition: Krista Proffitt - Shavers, Savers, Mansplainers, Harrison and Rosedale Galleries, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
John Hathaway: Studies, Drawings, Paintings, and Prints, Commons Art Gallery, Great Room Lobby, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2016 David Guinn: Before the Wall, Mural Sketches and Designs, Great Room Lobby, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Alumni Spotlight Exhibition: Jesse Vincent, Other Than a Memory, Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Jane Geayer: Harmonious Geometries, Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2015 Alumni Spotlight Exhibition: Jennifer Titone, Great Room Lobby, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2014 Band of Artists: Spectrum Order Disorder, University Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA Co-curated with Alan Powell
Alumni Spotlight Exhibition: Jannalyn Bailey, University Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2013 Jamar Nicholas: World Building, University Commons Great Room Lobby, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA Co-curated with Samantha Schaeffer
Alive! Revealing the Art of Puppetry, University Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA Co-curated with Alisa Kleckner
Alumni Spotlight Exhibition: Christopher Thomas, University Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Presence of Process, University Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
2012 Mitos Y Realidades: Inspiraciones De La Republica De Cuba Myths and Realities: Inspirations from the Republic of Cuba, University Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA Co-curated with Abigail Ryan
Alumni Spotlight Exhibition: Andrew Ortwein: The Greatest War, University Commons Art Gallery, Arcadia University, Glenside, PA
Exhibitions
Solo
2022
Trajectories, James Oliver Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2019 Solo Series, Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA
Cities in the Sky, Barbara Crawford Gallery, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Philadelphia, PA
2005 Re/creation: Storyteller, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids, MI
2001 Cycle, Emily Davis Gallery, Akron, OH
2000 Gettin’ My Mind Right, Mezzanine Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
1998 Loss and Found, BFA Exhibition, Atrium Gallery, University of Akron, OH
Normal, Senior Honors Project, Projects Gallery, University of Akron, OH
1997 Urban Renewal, a series of large scale paintings from the urban landscape, Projects Gallery, University of Akron, OH
Group
2021
Narratives: Hiro Sakaguchi and Matthew Borgen, Mt Airy Contemporary (miniMAC), Philadelphia, PA
The Ellarslie Open 37/38, The Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Trenton, New Jersey, Juror: William Valerio, Ph.D.
Awbury Arboretum, Philadelphia, Curator: Susan Breitsch
The Woodmere Annual: 79th Juried Exhibition, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Juror: David Wiesner
Adams County Arts Council Juried Art Exhibition, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Juror: William Crow, Phd., Director, Lehigh University Galleries
Movements,Moments, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandra, Virginia, Curator: Eames Armstrong
2020
Comx, Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, New Jersey
2019 White Rabbit, H Gallery, Ventura, CA Organized by Dab Art
Storytelling, The Yard, Philadelphia, PA Organized by InLiquid
The Woodmere Annual: 78th Juried Exhibition, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA Juror: Eileen Neff
Celebrating Selections from Our Permanent Collection, Barbara Crawford Gallery, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Philadelphia, PA
Sated (The Food Container Project), James Oliver Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Entrances and Exits, InLiquid Gallery, Crane Art Center, Philadelphia, PA
2016 2016 International Juried Exhibition, Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ Juror: Jonathon Goodman
Revolutions of Making: Faculty Exhibition 2016, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
2015 National Juried Competition 2015: Works on Paper, Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, Loveladies, NJ Juror: Carter E. Foster, Steven and Ann Ames Curator of Drawing, Whitney Museum of American Art
Abington Art Center Annual Juried Show, Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA Juror: Gerard Brown, assistant professor, Tyler School of Art
2014 Performance Video And Colored Gloves, Exploded View, Tucson, AZ
Arcadia University Faculty Exhibition, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
2012 Arcadia University Faculty Exhibition: The Persistence of Drawing, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
2011 Arcadia University Faculty Exhibition: Scale 1:1, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
SEPCHE Faculty Exhibition, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA
2009 Faculty Exhibition 2009: The Artist and the Object, recent work by Arcadia University fine arts faculty presented with objects from their studios, Arcadia University Art Gallery, Glenside, PA
2008 First Person Art Salon, Gersham Y, Philadelphia, PA
Connected, 621 Gallery, Tallahassee, FL
2006 Sound and Vision, (A collaborative work with Gary Setzer), Art Gallery Ohio University Southern, Ironton, OH
2002 The Landscape Reconsidered, Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington, MA
2002 University of Minnesota MFA Exhibition, Katherine Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Visual Literacy, Orbit Gallery, St. Paul, MN Jurors: Lyndel King, Director, Weisman Art Museum; Joan Rothfuss, Curator, Walker Art Center; Martin Weinstein, Owner, Weinstein Gallery
Consider the Ordinary – Question the Common, Furlong Gallery, Menomonie, WI
2001 University of Minnesota Graduate Exhibition, Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2000 University of Minnesota Graduate Exhibition, Katherine Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
1997 Creative Communities: Art from Akron’s Neighborhoods, Akron Art Museum, Akron, OH
