My work explores the ways memories are reconstructed over time. Using readily available materials, I create sculptural forms that give physical presence to experiences, places, and emotions that exist only in the mind.

Rather than creating exact representations, I embrace the fragmented and imperfect nature of recollection. Memories are shaped by time, omission, and interpretation, often becoming a combination of what is remembered and what is lost.

By transforming familiar materials into new forms, I mirror this process of reconstruction. One material stands in for another, reflecting how memories are continually altered as they are revisited and reassembled.

The resulting works exist between recognition and uncertainty. They suggest places, objects, and experiences without fully defining them, allowing space for ambiguity and personal interpretation.

Through sculpture, I investigate how personal histories are continually rebuilt. My work invites viewers to reflect on the fluid, evolving nature of memory and the ways our recollections shape our understanding of the past.

Bio

Matthew Stander is a sculptor based in Sarasota, Florida. Stander works across multiple media including woodworking, fiber art, and ceramics. He creates sculptures that explore the ways memories are reconstructed over time. Through material transformation and assembly, Stander examines the space between memory and reality.

He received a Bachelor of Arts from Florida International University. His work has been exhibited in the Convergence: 44th Annual Student Exhibition at Broward College, where he received an Honorable Mention award, and has been published in P'AN KU Literary & Arts Magazine and the Convergence exhibition catalog.

CV