Kooksville

In Matte’s altered states, images rise uninvited from the fifth dimension—fully formed, moving, breathing. He studies them with the precision of his photographic memory, then drags them into the third dimension through graphite and colour. These beings are born entirely from imagination and mind’s‑eye vision, never from reference, each one a direct translation of what only he can see.

Kooksville is defined by meticulous detail wrapped in a cartoon‑driven aesthetic. The signature eye structure anchors every creature, capturing emotion, personality, and intent, while the facial composition builds depth and breathes life into each inhabitant. A subtle depth‑of‑field effect runs through the work, giving these characters a sense of presence rather than illustration.

Unlike Matte’s darker, trauma‑driven pieces, the residents of Kooksville carry a playful, uplifting energy—creatures that helped pull him out of shadow and into colour. The collection began as black‑and‑white graphite studies, later reimagined in full colour as Matte selected his favourites to evolve into their final forms.