Matt Bahen

Matt Bahen’s work explores the delicate balance between forces of loss and renewal. Bahen takes inspiration from both his native landscape of rural Ontario as well as literature, particularly the writings of Cormac McCarthy. In all of Bahen’s paintings, there is an arresting tension created by the absence of human figures while still alluding to their presence. This void forms a space for the viewer to enter and participate in Bahen’s dark yet poetic narrative.

Bahen’s impressive painting process has evolved over many years. Bahen treats the entire surface of his canvases with thick, rhythmic brushstrokes that accentuate the tension and emotion in his subjects.

Bahen lives and works in Toronto. He has exhibited in Canada and the United States. In 2013, a solo exhibition of Bahen’s work was held at the MacLaren Art Centre in Barrie, Ontario.