Matthew Finley
Matthew Finley (b. 1972) uses his photography to express himself and connect to the world around him. With a variety of photography processes, he explores intimate emotions through gesture, line and performance to communicate his experience. Growing up queer in an unaccepting environment, Finley felt apart from the world around him. Now, as an adult working through anxiety, photography is a safe space to create where he can express his true self. He addresses personal issues such as his coming out story, intimate relationships, and queer history.
Based in Los Angeles, Finley’s work has shown in solo and group shows in multiple galleries across the U.S. Recently, his work was on the walls of the esteemed Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles with the likes of Herb Ritts and Herbert List. He has pieces in the permanent collections of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College Chicago, The Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, and the Center for Fine Art Photography, Fort Collins. Finley’s most current project An Impossibly Normal Life recently received Center Santa Fe’s 2024 Personal Award as well as the Center for Photographic Art’s 2024 LGBTQ+ Artist Grant (Carmel, CA)