About Matto

Tintype portrait by Will Harlan Campbell.

Bio

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 custom-coded smart contracts.

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.

Artist Statement 

Born in the early 80s, I was a teen in the 90s, and I lived through the transition from an analog world to a digital one. I discovered my creative passions on both sides of this great change: in photography and computing. From the darkroom at age 11 I learned that art could be technical, rules-oriented, and procedural. At age 12, I learned to define my own approaches to logic and mathematical challenges thanks to the BASIC Language Programming Club. Later in high school I created my first “generative” artworks in the chemistry lab and darkroom, where I applied experimental procedures and step-by-step processes to invoke randomness and create the unexpected. It wasn’t until I was at college, however, that I was able to explore the digital graphic capabilities of computers. This opened a whole new world to me, one that I still feel like I’m just barely scratching the surface of, more than 20 years later.

A consistent thread in my work has been my exploration of the intersections of technologies, processes, and genres – and expressing the human connection beneath the surface. Like a “Ghost in the Code”, I liken it to the “Spirit in the Work”. The computer and the ability to write my own software has greatly influenced my creative practice, just as digital technologies have drastically impacted modern society. Yet, it is the human connection—the spirit—that remains central to my evolving body of work.

Brief CV

Education

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.

Reach & Exhibition Summary

  • 5k+ Digital Artworks Sold into Private Collections
  • 75+ Film Screenings in Festivals and University Exhibitions
  • 7 Group and Solo Photography Exhibitions
  • 4 Generative Art / Blockchain Art Juried Exhibitions
  • 1 Sculpture Exhibited & Institutionally Placed

Art Grants and Shows

Public Art & Grants

  • Bucky-Art Sculpture Exhibit, Arlington, VA, 2010
  • Experimental Television Center Residency, Owego, NY, 2007
  • Callahan/Rennals Production Grant, Rochester, NY, 2007
  • Genesee Valley Council of the Arts Grant, Geneseo, NY, 2007
  • 7x Creative Arts Program Grant, Rochester, NY, 2001 – 2007
  • 6x Image/Movement/Sound Festival Grant, Rochester, NY, 2002 – 2007

 

Solo Shows

  • Leidenfrost Vineyards, Watkin’s Glen, NY, 2009
  • Institute for Forest Biotechnology, Raleigh, NC, 2007

 

Group Shows

  • Durham Arts Guild 70th Annual Juried Show, Durham, NC, 2024
  • “All at Once” Bitcoin Ordinals Show presented by GrailersDAO & Singular.art (online), 2024
  • Durham Arts Guild 69th Annual Juried Show, Durham, NC, 2023
  • Art Blocks Exhibition at Samsung, NYC, NY, 2021
  • Artomatic 2012, Arlington, VA, 2012
  • Art Takes Flight, Reagan National Airport, Arlington, VA, 2011
  • 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, 2009

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

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