Matt Black
American, born 1970
About
Matt Black
American, born 1970
Matt Black, an artist from California’s Central Valley, produces enigmatic narrative works in his native region and in related places that are deeply grounded in societal and environmental concerns. Since 2014, Black has traveled over 100,000 miles across 46 states for his project American Geography, a personal portrait of an increasingly divided and unequal America. Black’s gripping images of some of the most marginalized communities in America are as visually captivating as they are brutally honest and human.
A member of Magnum Photos, Matt Black creates work that while rooted in the documentary tradition, is also noted for its deeply personal approach, emotional engagement, and visual intensity. Excerpts from American Geography have been widely published and exhibited in the United States and abroad. A monograph of the project was published in 2021 by Thames and Hudson which accompanied an institutional exhibition which traveled to the Deichtorhallen Hamburg (2020-21) and the Kunstfoyer, Munich (2021). Other bodies of work by the artist include The Valley, a project focused on the impact of drought and socio-economic inequality on California’s Central Valley agricultural communities, and The Mixteca a body of work documenting life in agricultural regions of Mexico.
In addition to The New Yorker, Black’s work has appeared in TIME Magazine, The California Sunday Magazine, as well as international publications such as Le Monde (France) and Internazionale (Italy). Also a film maker, Black’s short films have been published by The New Yorker, MSNBC, and Orion Magazine. Matt Black has been honored three times by the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Prize, has been named a senior fellow at the Emerson Collective, and was the recipient of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Award in 2015 for Humanistic Photography.
American Geography
Matt Black
Allensworth, California. 2014. Fence post., 2014
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in.
Matt Black
El Paso, Texas. 2015. Warehouse district., 2015
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Alturas, California. 2016. Cattle auction., 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Corcoran, California. 2014. Burning tires., 2014
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Tulare, California. 2014. Birds., 2014
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Sylvester, Georgia. 2017. Farmer checks sprinklers., 2017
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Fort Bragg, California. 2015. Downtown., 2015
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Laredo, Texas. 2018. Birds., 2018
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Madawaska, Maine. 2019. Snowstorm., 2019
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Eagle Butte, South Dakota. 2016. At a ranch house., 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Fresno, California. 2020. Downtown., 2020
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Ziebach County, South Dakota. 2016. Riders., 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in.
Matt Black
Modesto, California. 2014. Corner store., 2014
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Flint, Michigan. 2016. Snowfall_, 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Fulton, Kentucky. 2017. Downtown., 2017
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Lindsay, California. 2013. Country road., 2013
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
York, Pennsylvania. 2015. Rainstorm., 2015
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Gallup, New Mexico. 2019. Parking lot., 2019
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Calumet, Michigan. 2015. Downtown., 2015
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Clay County, Georgia. 2017. Sunday School., 2017
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Keokuk, Iowa. 2016. Closed store., 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Lost Hills, California. 2016. Roadside memorial., 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Piedmont, Missouri. 2016. Storefront., 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Bangor, Maine. 2016. Cracked ice., 2016
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Mendota, California. 2013. Guard dog., 2013
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Tulare, California. 2014. Flea market vendors., 2014
Pigment ink print
20 x 20 in. / 30 x 30 in. / 40 x 40 in.
Matt Black
Calexico, California. 2019. Border fence., 2019
Pigment ink print
15 x 63 ½ in. / 19 x 80 ¼ in.
Matt Black
Helena, Arkansas. 2019. Warehouse., 2019
Pigment ink print
15 x 63 ½ in. / 19 x 80 ¼ in.
Matt Black
Columbus, North Dakota. 2017. Downtown., 2017
Pigment ink print
15 x 63 ½ in. / 19 x 80 ¼ in.
Matt Black
Los Banos, California. 2016. Dead orchard., 2016
Pigment ink print
15 x 63 ½ in. / 19 x 80 ¼ in.
Matt Black
Selma, Alabama. 2019. Downtown., 2019
Pigment ink print
15 x 63 ½ in. / 19 x 80 ¼ in.
Matt Black
Salton City, California. 2019. Empty lot., 2019
Pigment ink print
15 x 63 ½ in. / 19 x 80 ¼ in.
Matt Black
American Geography
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Allensworth, California. 2014. Fence post.
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El Paso, Texas. 2015. Warehouse district.
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Alturas, California. 2016. Cattle auction.
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Corcoran, California. 2014. Burning tires.
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Tulare, California. 2014. Birds.
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Sylvester, Georgia. 2017. Farmer checks sprinklers.
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Fort Bragg, California. 2015. Downtown.
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Laredo, Texas. 2018. Birds.
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Madawaska, Maine. 2019. Snowstorm.
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Eagle Butte, South Dakota. 2016. At a ranch house.
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Fresno, California. 2020. Downtown.
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Ziebach County, South Dakota. 2016. Riders.
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Modesto, California. 2014. Corner store.
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Flint, Michigan. 2016. Snowfall_
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Fulton, Kentucky. 2017. Downtown.
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Lindsay, California. 2013. Country road.
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York, Pennsylvania. 2015. Rainstorm.
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Gallup, New Mexico. 2019. Parking lot.
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Calumet, Michigan. 2015. Downtown.
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Clay County, Georgia. 2017. Sunday School.
-
Keokuk, Iowa. 2016. Closed store.
-
Lost Hills, California. 2016. Roadside memorial.
-
Piedmont, Missouri. 2016. Storefront.
-
Bangor, Maine. 2016. Cracked ice.
-
Mendota, California. 2013. Guard dog.
-
Tulare, California. 2014. Flea market vendors.
-
Calexico, California. 2019. Border fence.
-
Helena, Arkansas. 2019. Warehouse.
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Columbus, North Dakota. 2017. Downtown.
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Los Banos, California. 2016. Dead orchard.
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Selma, Alabama. 2019. Downtown.
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Salton City, California. 2019. Empty lot.
The Valley
Matt Black
Fresno, California. 1998. Warehouse district., 1998
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Mendota, California. 2014. Sheep in field., 2014
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Avenal, California. 2009. Dust storm rips off a roof., 2009
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Firebaugh, California. 2014. Tomato harvest., 2014
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Teviston, California. 2000. Playing on clothesline., 2000
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
McFarland, California. 2010. Deserted storefronts., 2010
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Lamont, California. 2010. Burning tumbleweeds., 2010
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Corcoran, California. 2014. Fallowed tomato fields., 2014
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Teviston, California. 2001. Former cotton migrant at home., 2001
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Mendota, California. 2009. Men at an irrigation canal., 2009
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Firebaugh, California. 1995. Sheep at dawn., 1995
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
The Valley
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Fresno, California. 1998. Warehouse district.
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Mendota, California. 2014. Sheep in field.
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Avenal, California. 2009. Dust storm rips off a roof.
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Firebaugh, California. 2014. Tomato harvest.
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Teviston, California. 2000. Playing on clothesline.
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McFarland, California. 2010. Deserted storefronts.
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Lamont, California. 2010. Burning tumbleweeds.
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Corcoran, California. 2014. Fallowed tomato fields.
-
Teviston, California. 2001. Former cotton migrant at home.
-
Mendota, California. 2009. Men at an irrigation canal.
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Firebaugh, California. 1995. Sheep at dawn.
The Mixteca
Matt Black
San Pedro Chayuco, Oaxaca. 2000. Saint's Day celebration., 2000
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2000. Fog drifts through deserted streets., 2000
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Santiago Mitlatongo, Oaxaca. 2011. A family rests alongside a road., 2011
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2008. Sisters empty their family's corncrib., 2008
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
Cochoapa el Grande, Guerrero. 2012. After a party., 2012
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
El Ciruelo, Oaxaca. 2007. Resting outside a store., 2007
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2007. A man returns home from his remote cornfield., 2007
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2006. A woman cooks in the kitchen of her home., 2006
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2006. Saint's Day celebration., 2006
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2006. A girl works at her family's farmhouse., 2006
Pigment ink print
13 5/16 x 20 in. / 24 x 36 in.
Matt Black
The Mixteca
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San Pedro Chayuco, Oaxaca. 2000. Saint's Day celebration.
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San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2000. Fog drifts through deserted streets.
-
Santiago Mitlatongo, Oaxaca. 2011. A family rests alongside a road.
-
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2008. Sisters empty their family's corncrib.
-
Cochoapa el Grande, Guerrero. 2012. After a party.
-
El Ciruelo, Oaxaca. 2007. Resting outside a store.
-
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2007. A man returns home from his remote cornfield.
-
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2006. A woman cooks in the kitchen of her home.
-
San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2006. Saint's Day celebration.
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San Miguel Cuevas, Oaxaca. 2006. A girl works at her family's farmhouse.