Artist Matthew Ritchie discusses his work and exhibition Matthew Ritchie: Proposition Player, on view at The Fabric Workshop and Museum from 2 April through 21 May 2005.

Matthew Ritchie: Proposition Player transforms the FWM's galleries from floor to wall to ceiling. Ritchie invites viewers to step into his mythic universe where they are introduced to forty-nine characters, serving as an elaborate system for the extensive information he draws upon for his works. From rolling Ritchie's unique dice in a digital craps game to walking on a colorful floor sculpture, visitors are participants in the narratives and possibilities of Ritchie's world.

The intricate, colorful floor sculpture, The God Impersonator, featured as part of the larger installation and exhibition Proposition Player, was created in collaboration with the FWM as Ritchie's Artist-in-Residence project.

The exhibition also presents Ritchie's latest work, Clinamen, a single-channel animation projection that was co-produced by the FWM; The Two-Way Joint, a backlit lenticular print which carries an image that changes when viewed from different vantage points; and a variety of paintings and drawings, including a suite of drawings titled Five of a Kind.

Since 1995 Ritchie has explored the complex nature of the universe and the intricacies of the human experience, integrating science, philosophy, religion, fiction and mythology into multi-media installations to create elaborate systems of information that model internal and external worlds. These systems originate in simple and primitive units that increase in complexity as they are combined, essentially forming miniature universes.

Above left: Matthew Ritchie speaking about his work at The Fabric Workshop and Museum on 1 April 2005. Photo: Aaron Igler.