Matthew McGaughey

Kurt, half conscious, performs a song on platform stage. His movements are puppeted by two gimps in denim suits*

Kert is nekid belaw staich

Kert is pul tup antu sait af platform bai kimbz

Kert is chrezd pei kimbz

Kert is pul tang tu cher ang staich

Kert is hangtut kitar

Uh kikered is plezd intu Kerts mauth

Kimbz lait kikered for Kert

Kert achutz th’ nops ang th’ amp wedh helb vrum kimbz

Wung kimbz asizd Kert ang sitring up ing cher wedh kitar

Thi uthor kimb wogz tu thi smol rum ang plux ing kitar bedl

Bag ang th’ staich, Kert bikingz streging sinkl kordz ang th’ kitar

Ing smol rum, kimb bresis ang tibresis kitar bedl

Kert bikings sinking intu meikrofon

This tre akshungs meik up th’ performungs

This kontinuus vor a waid

(*“I’ll start this off without any words.”)

Work by Matthew McGaughey has been included in recent group exhibitions and performances such as Haunting House (Departure Lounge, Los Angeles, 2024), Erotic Codex (Honor Fraser Gallery, Los Angeles, 2024), Collapse All Windows and Exit (1258 W. 2nd St., Los Angeles, 2024), Untitled Affairs (Miller ICA, Pittsburgh, 2022), In the Company of Men (Platform Gallery, Pittsburgh, 2020), 18-Wheeler Platform Shoes (Melwood Gallery, Pittsburgh, 2019), and Gloria! (Melwood Gallery, Pittsburgh, 2019).

Matthew’s commercial work as a composer includes Criminal Confessions (Oxygen, 2016–2019), American Horror Story (FX, 2014), The Last Ship (TNT, 2014–2015), Cold Case Files (Oxygen, 2014–2019), Project Runway (Bravo, 2004–2019), Top Chef (Bravo, 2004–2019), and The Real Housewives franchise (Bravo, 2004–2020).

Since 2020, Matthew has been awarded the William S. Dietrich II Presidential Fellowship (2021), ASCAP Screen Music Awards (2021–2023), a Dedalus Foundation MFA Fellowship in Painting & Sculpture nomination (2021), a GuSH Research Grant from Carnegie Mellon University (2021), the Frank-Ratchye Fund for Art at the Frontier (2021). Matthew received a MFA from Carnegie Mellon University, a PhD in Composition with a focus on extended performance practice and music technology from the University of York in 2004.