About Matto
Tintype portrait by Will Harlan Campbell.
Matto – Shinkai is a Buddhist multidisciplinary artist. He earned a BS in Applied Sciences and an MFA in Film and Animation from Rochester Institute of Technology.
His ‘Zenerative’ series of projects, released on Art Blocks and Plottables, explore on-chain, Zen-inspired generative art. He releases other, experimental crypto-art through his smart contracts and custom platform, Substratum.
He is an advocate for compassionate living, LGBTQ rights, equality for all, and environmental protection. Matto – Shinkai lives in North Carolina with his two partners and their dogs.
Education
He earned an MFA in Film and Animation and a BS in Applied Sciences from Rochester Institute of Technology. His experimental films have screened internationally at more than 75 film festivals and venues, and they have won more than a dozen awards. His interactive programming has been displayed at many prestigious galleries, including the George Eastman House. His photography has been in group and solo shows in New York and D.C.
Educator
Matto’s professional career after college focused on education. He has taught students of all levels, from age 5 to 55 – preschool to post-graduate. He retired from teaching in 2015, and in the five years from 2015 – 2020, he has published six novels. Since 2010, he has published over 1,250 poems.
Monk?
Matto began studying traditional martial arts at a young age, and he began investigating Taoism and Buddhism in his teens. Now in his 40’s, he holds an advanced degree in Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, he has a Dharma name and lineage in the Soto Zen tradition, and he has publicly self-identified as a monk for more than a decade.
He lives a private life outside of cryptoart with his partners, his dogs, and his garden.
Brief CV
Master of Fine Arts (2008)
Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, School of Film and Animation, Live Action Filmmaking Program
Bachelor of Science with High Honors (2003)
Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Applied Science and Technology,
Applied Arts and Sciences, Multidisciplinary Studies Program, Minor in Communications.
Art Grants and Shows
Art Grants
• Crystal City Business Improvement District Grant, sculpture “Spaceship Earth
in the Universe” (2010)
• Experimental Television Center residency (2007)
• Callahan Rennals Production Grant, “Awen” (2007)
• Genesee Valley Council of the Arts Grant for workshops (2007)
• Image/Movement/Sound Creative Arts Grants (7 total, 2002 – 2007)
Solo Shows
• “Day Trips around the Finger Lakes,” Leidenfrost Vineyards, Watkin’s Glen, NY (2009)
• “Compositions in Energy,” Institute for Forest Biotechnology, Raleigh, NC (2007)
Group Shows
• Artomatic, Arlington, VA (2012)
• Art Takes Flight, Reagan National Airport, Arlington, VA (2011)
• Bucky-Art Sculpture Exhibit, Arena Stage, Arlington, VA (2010)
• “Fine Art Nude Photography Exhibit, Carriage House Studio, Washington, DC (2010)
• Fotoweek 2010 Exhibit, Carriage House Studio, Washington, DC (2010)”
• Faculty Showcase, Art Institute of Washington, Arlington, VA (2009)
• Heads and Tails, DC MOCA Gallery, Washington, DC (2008)
Film Exhibition History
• Voicing Cage, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA (2012)
• Tricycle and BuddhafestDC Short Film Competition, Arlington, VA (2012)
• Faculty Showcase, The Art Institute of Washington, Arlington, VA (2011)
• Emerging Filmmakers Series, The Little Theatre, Rochester NY (2009)
• The Int’l Fest of Cinema and Technology, Los Angeles, CA (2009)
• The Tank Gallery, New York City, NY (2008)
• Image/Movement/Sound Festival, Rochester, NY (2008)
• 50th Rochester International Film Festival, Rochester, NY (2008)
• 10 or Less Film Festival, Portland, OR (2008)
• Montezuma International Film Festival, Montezuma, Costa Rica (2008)
• DigiFestival.net Film Festival, Florence, Italy (2008)
• Not Still Art Festival 2007, Micro Museum, New York City, NY (2007)
• New England Film and Video Festival, Brookline, MA (2007)
• DigiFestival.net Film Festival, Florence, Italy (2007)
• SOFA Honors Show, Rochester, NY (2007)
• Image/Movement/Sound Festival, Rochester, NY (2007)
• Durango Independent Film Festival, Durango, CO (2007)
• Cape May New Jersey Film Festival, Cape May, NJ (2007)
• Visual Music Marathon, Boston Cyberarts Festival, Boston, MA (2007)
• Best of IMS Festival Retrospective, Rochester, NY (2007)
• I Promise 2 Be You Streaming Show, Hollywood, CA (2007)
• Image/Movement/Sound Festival, Rochester, NY (2006)
• TromaDance, Salt Lake City, UT (2006)
• Brooklyn Underground Film Festival, New York City, NY (2006)
• Twin Rivers Media Festival, Asheville, NC (2006)
• Moondance International Film Festival, Venice, CA (2006)
• Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (2006)
• Monday Films #3, Unitec Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand (2005)
• Media Design School, Auckland, New Zealand (2005)
• Waikato University, Hamilton, New Zealand (2005)
• University of Melbourne, Victoria College of the Arts, School of Film and Television, Melbourne, Australia (2005)
• La Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia (2005)
• SOFA Honors Show, Rochester, NY (2005)
• Image/Movement/Sound Festival,Rochester, NY (2005)
• Particles and Pixels Symposium, The Moving Image Centre, Auckland, New Zealand (2005)
• (Im)permanence: Cultures In/Out of Time, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (2005)
• University of Melbourne, Victoria College of the Arts, School of Film and Television, Melbourne, Australia (2005)
• Media Design School, Auckland, New Zealand (2005)
• Waikato University, Hamilton, New Zealand (2005)
• ignifuge, Brunswick, Australia (2005)
• Unitec Institute of Technology, Snowwhite Gallery Auckland, New Zealand (2005)
• Govett-Brewster Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand (2005)
• The Tank Gallery, New York City, NY (2005)
• John Hopkins Film Festival, Baltimore, MD (2004)
• Toronto Online Film Festival, Toronto, Canada (2004)
• Cincinnati International Film Festival, Cincinnati, OH (2004)
• 2004 New Hampshire Film Expo, Manchester, NH (2004)
• INVIDEO Festival, Milan, Italy and Stuttgart, Germany (2004)
• Not Still Art Festival, Micro Museum, New York City, NY (2004)
• Marylhurst University, Randall Hall Recital, Portland, OR (2004)
• The Tank Gallery, New York City, NY (2004)
• Image/Movement/Sound Festival, Rochester, NY (2004)
• Santa Fe International Film Festival, Santa Fe, NM (2003)
• X|Fest Animation Festival, New York City, NY (2003)
• BigMiniDv Festival, New York City, NY (2003)
• Memphis International Film Festival, Memphis, TN (2003)
• Rochester International Film Festival, Rochester, NY (2003)
• Not Still Art Festival, Micro Museum, New York City, NY (2003)
• Cincinnati International Film Festival, Cincinnati, OH (2002)
• SOFA Honors Show, Rochester, NY (2002)
• Image/Movement/Sound Festival, Rochester, NY (2002)
• Studio 22’s Flicker Festival, Northwestern Univresity, IL (2001)
• SOFA Honors Show, Rochester, NY (2001)
Film Awards
Directoral Awards (I was the Director & Producer)
• School of Film and Animation Honors Show, “Awen” (2007)
• Moondance International Film Festival, Sandcastle Award, “Shadows” (2006)
• Twin Rivers Media Festival, 3rd Place Experimental, “Dissolution” (2006)
• School of Film and Animation Honors Show, “Dissolution” (2005)
• Toronto Online Film Festival, Featured Spotlight, “Reflecting Pool” (2004)
• BigMiniDv Festival, Special Recognition Award, “Reverberations” (2003)
• School of Film and Animation Honors Show, “Reverberations” (2002)
• School of Film and Animation Faculty Choice Award, “BLUE” (2001)
• School of Film and Animation Honors Show, “BLUE” (2001)
Edited Film Awards (I was the Editor)
• Excellence in Experimental Techniques Award, ASIFA-East Animation Festival (New York City, NY)
• Trophy Award, 49th Rochester International Film Festival (Rochester, NY)
• Gold Medal for Excellence—Director’s Choice, Park City Film Music Festival (Park City, UT)
• Best New Art Award, Georgetown Independent Film Festival (Georgetown, MD)
• Best Experimental Short, MicroCineFest (Baltimore, MD)
• Honorable Mention, 48th Rochester International Film Festival (Rochester, NY)
• Gold Medal for Excellence Director’s Choice for Best Impact of Music, in a Short Film, Park City Film Music Festival (Park City, UT)
• Honorable Mention, 47th Rochester International Film Festival (Rochester, NY)
• Best of the Fest Traveling Show Selection, 46th Rochester International Film Festival (Rochester, NY)
• 1st Place Experimental and Charles Schwartz Award for Exemplary Use of Sound and/or Music, Film Fest New Haven (New Haven, CT)
Teaching Experience
Professor (Full Time) (2011-2015) The Art Institute of Washington (Arlington, VA)
• Faculty in the Digital Filmmaking & Video Production Department
• Redesigned courses to improve student competencies and course objectives
• Representative on the AiW Technology Development Committee
Professor (Adjunct) (2009-2011) The Art Institute of Washington (Arlington, VA)
• Taught Introduction to Film Theory and Digital Cinematography on Location (ENG Field Recording) in the Digital Filmmaking and Video Production Department
Producer (2008-2011) The Great Courses (Chantilly, VA)
• Team leader in a live-to-tape HD, deadline driven educational media production house
• Directed staff and crew (animators, editors, studio crew, technical personnel)
• Managed production budgets and schedules
• Creatively designed the overall look and feel of the video productions
Instructor (2006-2007) Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
• Taught classes in the School of Film and Animation and in the School of Design
• Taught Kung Fu classes in the Center for Human Performance
Lab Instructor (2006-2007) Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
• Node Based Compositing
• Video Tools and Technology
• Digital Video Multimedia
Martial Arts Instructor (2003-2006) Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)
• Introduction to Shaolin Kung Fu Systems
• Shaolin Kung Fu for Self Defense
Substitute Teacher (2003-2005) Rush-Henrietta and Wayland-Cohocton School Systems (Upstate, NY)
• Science (Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry)
• Special Education
• English
Catch-Up Tutor (1995-1996) Livonia Public School System (Livingston County, NY)
• Tutored kindergarten and first-grade students
• Helped students catch up to their classmates