Matthew Blackburn's Nostalgic Still Lifes Reimagine Vanitas with PlayStation Controllers
Matthew Blackburn, a self-taught artist from Johannesburg, is attracting interest with his still life artworks that merge the vanitas style of the 17th century with elements of early 2000s pop culture. His pieces incorporate objects such as Coke bottles and Rubik's cubes, exploring themes of nostalgia and consumerism. One of his notable works, 'Saturday Morning 2001', presents a first-person view of a bedroom and was created for the exhibition 'Tomorrow is Listening' at the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery in Durbanville, Cape Town. His latest collection, 'Golden Age', features pieces like 'Emptiness' and 'Extinguished'. Since becoming a full-time artist in late 2020, Blackburn has participated annually in the Sasol New Signatures competition, earning a merit award in 2023 and securing second place in the Vuleka art competition in 2025.
Key facts
- Matthew Blackburn is a self-taught painter from Johannesburg.
- His still life paintings combine 17th-century vanitas tradition with early 2000s pop culture items.
- The painting 'Saturday Morning 2001' was created for the group show 'Tomorrow is Listening' at Rust-en-Vrede Gallery in Durbanville, Cape Town.
- Blackburn's current body of work is titled 'Golden Age'.
- He left school in 2012 and became a full-time artist in late 2020.
- He won a merit award at Sasol New Signatures in 2023 with 'Suffocation'.
- He placed second at the Vuleka art competition in 2025.
- He has exhibited at the Pretoria Art Museum and RMB Latitudes Art Fair.
- He works in acrylic on hardboard and frames his works in museum-style gold.
Entities
Artists
- Matthew Blackburn
Institutions
- Rust-en-Vrede Gallery
- Sasol New Signatures
- Vuleka art competition
- Portrait Awards
- Rosemary Hill
- Pretoria Art Museum
- RMB Latitudes Art Fair
Locations
- Johannesburg
- South Africa
- Durbanville
- Cape Town