Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matthew Csernansky. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Matthew, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project for me was “Folded Weight,” a four-ton sculpture made from half-inch corten steel using only mechanical connections. I love the idea of weight and scale, and the large scale sculptures of Andrew Caldor and Andrew Goldsworthy. I wanted to find my own way of making and exploring those concepts. Origami was always a passion of mine and I like the idea of folds in a paper giving it dimension and form. This was the piece’s inspiration, it started as a cardboard model then I decided to make a scale model for the intended piece in metal to show off its principle and aesthetic. That began a process that would push me out of my comfort zone and make me realize how much more I had in me than I thought.

After the proposal was accepted, I had a moment of panic but then buckled down and started planning through the different parts of this sculpture, from its manufacture to its delivery. I started by designing a system of blocks, bolts and gussets to hold the piece together purely through mechanical means. I collaborated with a friend to make a 3-D model and then I found a steel company that could cut and deliver the material. Just before the build I decided to check my hardware and found a problem with the bolt and nuts I had bought. I had to pivot quickly and find a more competent supplier for the hardware immediately,learning a valuable lesson about always double checking what you expect to be standard. Then with all the hardware ordered and the cut pieces on the way it was time to build. Using an outdoor gantry crane and multiple chain falls I arranged the 1/2” sheets of material together and slotted in the hardware to puzzle piece this together. This was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life and I relish the opportunity to do another large scale sculpture.

This piece was meaningful to me because it was the largest idea I had taken from a daydream to reality. It took my concept of sculpture out of the comfort zone of what fits into my hands. I had to do something that required a much different interaction of forces, techniques, and tools. I had to think about things differently and that was exciting for me. Needless to say after a few problems and creative thinking I got the piece delivered and set in its permanent home in Springfield, MO. I can’t be more grateful for the opportunity and the challenges it presented to me. I would do it again in a second.

Matthew, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For me art has always been a passion of mine. It defines the way that I think about the world and is the way I rationalize my existence. My introduction to art was through high school art classes and making Legos. I pursued the passion through college and then developed relationships through the community I met in college. I started working in the studios of my friends, teachers, and colleagues, as well as fabrication shops so that I could learn the skills to make the complicated pieces I envisioned.

I make contemplative objects that seek to shed the anthropomorphizing that is so ingrained in our nature as navel-gazing animals. It’s in our nature to get lost in ourselves, but I think good art can help us open up to the world around us and our community. Identity is so much bigger than ourselves., When feelings such as fear, sadness, and happiness become cryptic they can overtake our existence. Yet the root of these immense feelings is harmony and disharmony;, they are part of the universal nature of our existence. So when art allows us to identify and understand harmony and disharmony in a physical object we can approach the idea within ourselves as well.

I feel that this framework is the best way to make art. In this way, the healing and wisdom gained from it is universal. I fabricate ideas into a form that hopefully helps others by eliciting a meditative experience that is shared but unique in the same way that all of our lives are. My art gives context to our shared experience, and is a grounding point to reflect and understand yourself.

The nature of my form is very sharp, yet organic. I feel that this combination is inherently contradictory. Most natural things are not sharp, unless made to kill or hurt. Though it may be unpleasant, that is a natural part of the cycle and experience in life. Denying that it is putting your head in the sand. By embracing this aggressive and darker side to our existence I invite the viewer to take a more honest and meaningful insight that will have depth and wisdom honed from the real world and our inexorable chain to it.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Perfection can not only be the enemy of good, but it can also stop all production in its tracks. I had to realize that my drive for perfection in my fabrication ability and making the perfect representation of my artistic ideas had actually stunted my production. It not only stunted my physical production but my actual creativity as well. In embracing the imperfection of actualizing an idea, you can in fact challenge and open your mind to growing your own aesthetic and make sure that you have a body of work to show for it as well. Even if you made something you didn’t intend to, the journey itself is more important than anything you would have made. You may think you have the perfect idea, but that’s only in your head. Imperfection is the mark of being human and genuine. Being able to change your mindset and not get locked into the idea of perfection is a must for developing a portfolio and prolific body of work.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and a creative person is being able to connect with people in a way that breaks down their walls and makes you instantly a part of their lives in a way that they don’t expect. You can be intimate without having to have all the history of being someone’s best friend, partner, or a loved one which can take years to develop. A good piece of art can break down those walls and bring a sense of oneness between you and others that you didn’t even know.

I also derive so much joy from conceiving hard challenges and the act of creation. It is such a gift, even in the smallest of things. We make things all day to solve problems in our day-to-day physical needs and upkeep. Commercialism is full of utilitarian objects that serve very obvious needs that we can easily understand, but when the problem or quandary is not so visible the need for objects to address the problems can seem excessive. However, existence, dying, loss and joy –, these are some of the integral experiences that frame our lives and should be nurtured and addressed in the same way that we relate to our world through utilitarian objects.

If I can help the world understand this and make some of the objects that shepherd humanity towards the benefit of inner wisdom and self awareness, I will feel that I have done a good thing for my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.matthewcsernansky.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewcsernansky/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/MatthewJCsernansky

Image Credits
Allison Knotts, Matthew Csernansky, Chi Chan