Matt Bollinger’s aim is both to define America but also define himself. Okay, okay, that seems like a wide net to throw, and it maybe it even seems simplistic, but there is his contemporary approach to social realistic, Ashcan School style that has made Bollinger one of the most interesting artists working today in painting, drawing and animation that speaks about and creates narratives of midwest America. His characters often show up in different bodies of work, different mediums, as we follow them through recessions and pandemics and aging, and really just life. Originally from Missouri and now working out of upstate New York, this is a time where Bollinger’s voice seems as vital as ever.