Matt Gibaud / Photography
Exhibitions
Coming soon
Timeless
COhatch St. Petersburg
Past exhibition / 2024
Immortals
COhatch · March 30–April 5, 2024
A collection of photographs from Lakeland and Winter Haven, finding mythology and meaning in the places we pass every day.
My art has been described as “Industrial Documentary.” I am not sure how I feel about this genre. The Greeks thought that surrounding themselves with art and beautiful architecture would elevate the soul. The Ayther is a medium between the two.
Join me in bringing out the beauty of Lakeland and Winter Haven through photography.
Stair Way
How often do we think of a stairway that leads us up to a magical place? But every stairway leads us down as often as it does up.
Hera
Hera, daughter of Cronus and Rhea (mother of Zeus). She is Queen of the gods. By Hera, Zeus had a son and two daughters— Ares (god of war), Hebe (goddess of youth), and Ilithyria (goddess of birth).
Apollo and the sea
The theatre is truly a magical place. When you step inside you leave this world. Life is like crossing the sea in a rowboat. When you find yourself in the middle of the immense, raging sea, assailed by huge wave crests, sitting in a little rowboat trusting your frail craft, so amidst the furious torments of this world, the individual sits tranquilly in the theatre.
Immortals
Abandon All hope
As Donte pass under the gate on his journey though the underworld he read the inscription “Abandon all hope ye who enter here”
Feast of LIMOS
Limos was the goddess of starvation while Demeter was to Goddess of the Feast...
Ferryman awaits
Wait here upon the shore and keep an eye out for the Ferryman. His fee was a single coin which was placed in the mouth of a corpse upon burial. Those who had not received proper burial were unable to pay the fee and were left to wander the earthly side of the Akheron, haunting the world as ghosts..
Elysium
The Elysian Fields meaning, also known as Elysium, is an area within the underworld in Greek Mythology where the souls of heroes and the most virtuous people reside. Differ- ent myths describe this plane of existence within the under- world slightly differently...
Sibyls of Nemi
Nemi was a sacred grove where sibyls or oracles would see through the daily toils of life and speak of truths. The Sibyl, with frenzied mouth uttering things not to be laughed at, unadorned and unperfumed, yet reaches to a thousand years with her voice by aid of the god.
Athena
She was the daughter of Zeus, produced without a mother, so that she emerged full-grown from his forehead. There was an alternative story that Zeus swallowed Metis, the goddess of coun- sel, while she was pregnant with Athena, so that Athena...
Chaos
In early Greek cosmology, “Either” the primeval emptiness of the universe before things came into being or the abyss of Tartarus or the underworld, There was Chaos. Chaos Stirred the waters of Ayther to create Gaea and Eros (Earth and Desire)...
Those who were seen dancing
Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.
Passing
Much like the Ferryman passing souls through worlds. The art on train cars passes through towns and cites for a small second you may see something beautiful and into a new world it goes.
America
The Great Roman Empire never fell but only sleep for a time. Much like the mythical phoenix who burns itself up to ascend from its own ashes. A city who ruled the world who centuries could never be destroyed.
Enter
The Ayther is a place between worlds. A magical realm
Déjà vu
Omens or Déjà vu, daily signs we ignore thinking we may have been mistaken. Learn to listen to your inner self it often speaks more truth then one cares to hear.
Without Love
The Goddess of Roses, Aphrodite As for Aphrodite’s association with the rose, its really her love of Adonis that was to blame. Adonis was one of only two mortals the goddess truly fell in love with. She loved him more gently and more profoundly than anyone before or since. Adonis loved Aphrodite almost as much as she loved him; unsurprisingly...
When Milk Runs Dry
Hercules was the son of Zeus from a mortal woman. Because he was born from a mortal he would not have any special powers. Zeus came up with a plan. If Hercules could drink milk from Hera’s breast (queen of the gods), he could become godlike. So Zeus placed the baby on Hera while she slept...
Witch’s Fortress
“From where the Witch’s Fortress O’er hangs the dark-blue seas; From the still glassy lake that sleeps Beneath Aricia’s trees-- Those trees in whose dim shadow The ghastly priest doth reign, The priest who slew the slayer, And shall himself be slain;”
Strife
“Hera’s Garden” It was from her garden Eris, goddess of strife stole an apple and inscribed the words, “To the fairest”. She then threw this apple amidst the goddesses that attended at a wedding she was not invited to. The apple was given by Paris, prince of Troy...
We cannot return yet
There was two white ravens Hugin and Munin. The messengers of the gods. Out of fear of not having enough to tell the gods they said “We must go farther.” And so they few through the night listening to the thoughts people dared not think during the day...
DAUGHTER OF AGAMEMNON
To Love Iphigenia would make you king of the woods, Rex Nemorensis But this is not as simple as that. It begins with Paris kidnapping Helen, wife of Menelaus who was king of Sparta. Needless to say war was about to ensue...
At the exhibition
Exhibition photographs by @TheAlexLawrence. Exhibition video by Ryan from Lasting Impressions by Nicole.
With thanks to Lakeland BBQ, Mike and Mike’s Desserts, Don from I Am Lakeland, and Adriana from COhatch for supporting the Immortals show.