Matthew’s 45-year career has largely embraced creative design and production in: performing arts; international arts and cultural expositions; public domain art and architecture; exhibitions, museums and art galleries; Olympic, Paralympic, Asian, Arab and Commonwealth Games and opening and closing ceremonies. A graduate of the National Art School, this varied background informs Matthew’s current artmaking using diverse forms and media.

2013 to 2021 – PERFORMING ARTS, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC DOMAIN INFRASTRUCTURE

Matthew was the design manager for the Sydney Opera House Renewal Program for the Centre for Creative Learning, Yallamundi Rooms, Box Office Foyer, patron access to lifts and the Vehicle Concourse returned to pedestrians. He managed design and construction projects for Placemaking NSW, Schools Infrastructure NSW and Netball NSW.

1992 to 2012 – MAJOR EVENTS, EXPOSITIONS AND ARCHITECTURE

2010 – 2012, Matthew was based at the Turkish National Olympic Committee where he managed the bid team of international consultants for Istanbul’s candidacy for the 2020 Olympic Games.

2005 – 2010, in Qatar, Matthew was David Atkin’s General Manager for the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2006 Asian Games and the 2010 Arab Games.  He led the venue overlay design team in New Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games

2001 – 2005, Matthew managed architectural projects including the Australian/Greek engineering team for the overlay contract at Athens 2004 Olympic Games and co-managed the Australian/Chinese team for the National Swimming Centre for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The Water Cube has been recognised as an icon of C21 architecture.

1996 – 2000, working for SOCOG on the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Matthew was Development Manager for the Darling Harbour venues, then Common Domain Venue Manager at Sydney Olympic Park.

1992 – 1996, Matthew managed international arts and cultural expositions in Indonesia and India for the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.

1981 to 1992 – THEATRE, EXHIBITIONS AND TELEVISION

As partner in entertainment design consultants D’Arcy Emerson + Lorrimer, Matthew designed sets and costumes for many theatre companies including Adelaide Festival, Marionette Theatre of Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Theatre Workshop (Seymour Centre), Toe Truck Theatre, Kinetic Energy Dance Company and Marian Street Theatre.

The company designed exhibitions and environments for World Expo 88, Art Gallery of NSW, Opera Australia, Powerhouse Museum, Wedgwood Australia, Royal Doulton, Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australian Museum and the Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Centre, as well as music video clips for the Lyme Spiders and the Dynamic Hepnotics.

After completing his theatre studies in 1981 Matthew designed sets for Dr Who and Top of the Pops for BBC-Television and productions in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

EDUCATION

• 2024 – BFA National Art School (Printmaking)
• 1981 – BA 3D Design CSAD (Theatre & Costume Design)
• 1981 – Dip CSAD (Theatre)
• 1977 – BSc (Architecture) University of Sydney

GROUP SHOWS

• 2025 – Harvey Galleries, Sydney
• 2024 – Place Management NSW Second Life
• 2024 & 2023 – National Art School Gallery
• 1985 – Art Gallery of NSW, “Those Final Moments”, Australian Perspecta 85

COLLECTIONS

• Art Gallery of NSW
• Private collections in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Tathra

MEMBERSHIPS

• National Association for the Visual Arts
• Print Council of Australia
• Art Gallery of NSW
• Museum of Contemporary Art

PERFORMING ARTS SPONSORSHIPS

• Marrugeku, Indigenous Intercultural Dance Theatre, Broome
• Dance Rites, First Nations Dance Festival, Sydney Opera House 

PUBLICATIONS

• 2011 – Events Feasibility and Development from Strategy to Operations, “Doha Asian Games 2006″, Elsevier, pp 297- 330
• 1989 – Canberra Times After Hours “Glebe Park à la Carte”
• 1989 – Design World, “Futurescan”
• 1988 – Sydney Morning Herald, “Futurescan”
• 1988 – Sydney Morning Herald Weekend Magazine, “Art Dekko”
• 1985 – Sydney Morning Herald, “Those Final Moments”
• 1985 – Art and Australia, Vol 23 No 1 “Those Final Moments”
• 1982 – Blitz Magazine, “Stage Design”

AWARDS

• 2024 – National Art School Exhibition Prize, Harvey Galleries
• 2023 – National Art School Gallery, Book Exhibition Highly Recommended
• 1988 – Westpac Museum of the Year National Awards, “Futurescan”
• 1988 – Annual Golden Target Public Relations Award, Public Relations Institute of Australia
• 1986 – RAIA Exhibition Design, Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Centre
• 1984 – Design Institute of Australia Designer Awards, “Those Final Moments”