JANUARY 9, – FEBRUARY 28, 2024

Opening Reception with the Artist
Tuesday, January 9, 5 - 7PM

SOCO Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Fence Cutting, a solo exhibition by artist Matt Kleberg featuring seven new paintings and a suite of works on paper. The gallery will host a public opening reception with the artist on January 9th from 5 - 7 PM. This will be the artist’s first exhibition with the gallery.

At first glance, Kleberg’s work appears as large-scale geometric shapes. Look further, and one notices the unique telescoping effect of his color and form. Working primarily with oil sticks on canvas, Kleberg is able to achieve a composition that draws the viewer into a space that cannot be physically occupied. His work is a constant push and pull – a tension between barrier and entry.

Born in Texas and having recently relocated back to San Antonio from Brooklyn, the landscape and history of the West are influences for the artist. Recent world events regarding border control sparked a new connection for Kleberg back to the 19th century practice of fence cutting. Prevalent in Texas, conflicts arose between cattlemen over border disputes that resulted in fences being cut to allow free range over land. Similar to the ability of his work to function as both a doorway and a barrier, fences serve the same purpose–a means to retention and also to freedom when cut. With a background in theology, Kleberg enjoys exploring these hard questions through his work: Who is inside the fence and who is not? Who gets to decide where barriers are placed?

In Fence Cutting, Kleberg plays with color and scale. In Bunkmates, stacked arches slightly overlap in hues of earthy blue, green, and gold reminiscent of a western landscape. The piece suggests the idea of two different people sharing a confined space, bringing up human relationships and the mystery of knowing another person. In smaller scale singular arch paintings at 14 x 20 inches each, bright pinks and purples emerge with texture. The artist’s earlier color choices are visible as flecks of paint layers peek through.

The wonder of Kleberg’s work is that despite its structured lines and shapes, his paintings read less as a means to an answer and more like an open book. His eye for beauty in the simplicity of form is catapulted into compositions that function as altars to mystery, creating a space for viewers to ask questions and live in the realm of the unknown.

Matt Kleberg (American, B. 1985)

Matt Kleberg was born in 1985 in Kingsville, Texas. He received his BA from the University of Virginia in 2008 and his MFA from the Pratt Institute in 2015. Coverage of his work can be found in various publications, including The New York Times, The Brooklyn Rail, Artsy, Vice, Maake Magazine, ArtDaily, Juxtapoz Magazine, and Hyperallergic. His work is featured in multiple private and public collections, including the Williams College Museum of Art, the AD&A Museum of the University of California Santa Barbara, the Old Jail Art Center, the Addison Gallery of American Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the National Gallery of Art. Kleberg currently lives and works in San Antonio, TX. Kleberg's work borrows from architectural and ornamental references such as altars, theater sets, and stages, all spaces that frame specific actions and actors, suggesting an interest in performativity, whether ritual or theatrical. Recent exhibitions include Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA; Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels; Pazda Butler Gallery, Houston, TX; KDR305 Gallery, Miami, FL; and Albertz Benda Gallery, New York, NY.