Matthew Darbyshire (1977)

Matthew Darbyshire

Matthew Darbyshire is a British artist. He is known for his multimedia works that explore contemporary consumer culture and the built environment.

Darbyshire often works in sculpture, installation, and photography, using materials such as concrete, metal, and plastic. His work often references the aesthetics of modernist architecture and design, and he frequently incorporates found objects and images from popular culture into his pieces.

In 2014 Darbyshire created the polystyrene sculpture Hercules, which is an imitation of the Farnese Hercules. The deliberate choice of a white material has been interpreted as a perpetuation of colourism in how we view and understand classical sculpture.

Darbyshire's work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, including the Tate Britain in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Venice Biennale. In 2015, he was shortlisted for the Hepworth Prize for Sculpture.

His work is noted for its critical engagement with consumer culture and the built environment, as well as its use of humor and playfulness to explore complex social and cultural issues.