NUDES 1970-1992
Matuschka began posing nude when she was 16 for life sketching classes in New Jersey. Soon afterwards she was discovered skinny dipping by an enthusiastic photographer and began modeling for regional photographers in Northern New Jersey and eventually the Berkshires and NYC. It is said that Matuschka became both a photographer and model at the same time. She learned how to print the images taken of her in both commercial and make-shift darkrooms and went on to spend many years working with some of the most famous photographers in the world. It is during this time that Matuschka began photographing herself in black and white 35mm negative film.
Matuschka was keen on learning how to use a camera and enjoyed the process of developing and manipulating photographic prints. Seeing her body emerge on the photographic paper, she began to view it differently: as an object, as something to make art with. For the next four years she took photography classes and apprenticed with professional photographers in a variety of schools and states until she would be "discovered again" in NYC and start modeling for fashion photographers, illustrators and clothing designers.
Matuschka's work as both a fine art model and photographic assistant was essential to her development both behind the camera and in front of one. In the early to mid 70s Matuschka apprenticed with Don Snyder, learning the art of chemically toning and manipulating prints in a darkroom.
Matuschka Reclining in Rowboat, 1972
Matuschka Lying In Barn, 1970
Sweet Peach (Paris, France), 1976
Greek Torso, 1989
Roman Torso, 1972
Lake Buel, 1972
Hand And Foot, 1972
Abandoned In Alabama, 1989
Against The Wall/Stripes, 1989
Nude Standing In Barn Doorway, 1971
Birch Woods, 1972
Backside Of The Moon, 1976
Matuschka Encyclopedia #1, 1976
Matuschka Encyclopedia #2 (Embrace), 1976
Solarized Nude (Paris, France), 1976
Nude On Satin Sheets (Paris, France), 1976
Peter M. Grid, 1972
Nude Triptych (Mahwah, New Jersey), 1970
Back (Chair), 1992
Back (Standing), 1992
Japanese Grid, 1982
Reclining on Bed with Hairbrush, 1976
Don Snyder Grid #1, 1982
Blow Up, 1991
Matuschka—the grand dame of the self-portrait—is still a muse to herself, and she is and always has been, her own subject.
Hand Distortion, 1991
Matuschka's work is self-absorbed but her self-absorption has nothing to do with either narcissism or the reverse narcissism of self-loathing. She is her own raw material. And she looks at her raw material objectively and manipulates it unflinchingly in a way which no seems uncannily predictive." -Anthony Haden -Guest 2006
Hands Out, 1991
ARTIFACTS from this collection include 35 mm B & W color negative film, 35 mm color slides, 2 &1/4 color transparencies, & negatives, drawings, proof prints, limited edition prints, notebooks correspondence and other ephemera.
Standing Nude/Cat in Window 1992
Up Against the Wall (Flipped) 1989
Standing Nude (Stripes) 1989
THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS - 1970
Discovered at age 16 while skinny dipping in Mahwah, NJ by an amateur photographer, Matuschka would go on to become a sought after fine art nude model for the next 25 years. In the two photos below she is on the right.
Hippie Skinny Dipping (Mahwah, New Jersey), 1970
Hippie Couple (Mahwah, New Jersey), 1970
