Photo by Roger Ho
Matthew Pagoaga is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work explores representations of altered states in cinema, ego-death in media viewership, capitalist sites operating through dissemblance, and tensions between corporatism and community. Using cinematic deconstructions and transformative digital data processes, he critically explores technology’s dual nature - as a tool of oppression, entanglement, and destruction, and as a catalyst for fecundity, engendering new thought and energizing change.
Matthew's work has exhibited across the United States as well as internationally in Italy and Turkey. He has been jury-selected in the MOZAIK Future Art Awards in both 2020 and 2021, and is a Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship awardee.
From 2022 to 2025, Matthew served as Director of Media Studies, Production Services for The Claremont Colleges. He has taught courses on video art, film production, and algorithmic creativity. He has guest lectured for prominent organizations such as the Director's Guild of America, Producer's Guild of America, USC Stark Producing Program, and AFI Conservatory.
Matthew holds a B.A. in Applied Arts and Media from Antioch University (2019) and an M.F.A. in Art + Technology from California Institute of the Arts (2021).
Matthew is currently pursuing a PhD in Film, Television, & Digital Media at University of California, Los Angeles.
Upcoming Exhibitions / Screenings
Istanbul International Experimental Film Festival - Istanbul, Turkey - May 13 to May 17
Select Past Exhibitions / Screenings
March 2026 - Experimental Forum - Film Festival - Los Angeles, CA
March 2026 - MidWest WeirdFest - Film Festival - Eau Claire, WI
May 2025 - In Full Expression - Group Exhibition - Sprague Gallery, Harvey Mudd College - Claremont, CA
June 2024 - The Arcade of Hypermodernity - Group Exhibition - Studio Channel Islands - Camarillo, CA
December 2023 - The Art of Food - Group Exhibition - The Chateau Gallery - Louisville, KY
November 2023 - The Fl3tch3er Exhibit - Group Exhibition - The Reece Museum - Johnson City, TN
October 2023 - Beneath the Horizon - Group Exhibition - The Reef - Los Angeles, CA
October 2023 - Museum of Americana - Fall Issue
November 2022 - durée - Group Exhibition - Helen J Gallery - Hollywood, CA
October 2022 - L'Oiseau Residency - Online Residency / Group Exhibition
August 2022 - Storefront Art Program - Glendale Galleria - Glendale, CA
May 2022 - CalArts Expo 2022 - Group Exhibition - California Institute of the Arts - Valencia, CA
January 2022 - Political Statement - Group Exhibition - Millipeani - Rome, IT
January 2022- GLAMFA 2022 - Group Exhibition - Long Beach, CA
December 2021 - On Media, Signals and Connections - Group Exhibition - Millipeani - Rome, IT
November 2021 - sanguin/e/ary - Solo Exhibition - California Institute of the Arts - Valencia, CA
October 2021 - Crossed Wires - Group Exhibition - California Institute of the Arts - Valencia, CA
September 2021 - This Is Me - The Art House Gallery - Online Exhibition
August 2021 - Digital Multiverse - Virtual Burning Man 2021 - Virtual Exhibition
August 2021 - Nomad - Group Exhibition - Torrance Art Museum - Torrance, CA
July/August 2021 - Ultra! - Group Exhibition - Torrance Art Museum - Torrance, CA
June 2021 - MOZAIK Future Art Awards - Virtual Exhibition
June 2021 - Now Trending - Online Exhibition - Palos Verdes Art Center - Palos Verdes, CA
May 2021 - Transitional Objects - Group Exhibition - JACCC, Los Angeles, CA
April 2021 - Feeler Gauge Film Festival - Online Exhibition
April 2021 - CalArts Spring Event 2021 - California Institute of the Arts - Online Exhibition - Valencia, CA
March 2021 - A Digital Art Salon - San Luis Obispo Museum of Art - San Luis Obispo, CA
January 2021 – CAMFA / GLAMFA 2021 – Online Exhibition
August 2020 - Digital Multiverse - Online Exhibition
August 2020 - Methods of Negotiation- Art Music Lit Space - Online Exhibition
June 2020 - MOZAIK Future Art Awards 2020 - Online Exhibition
May 2020 - CalArts Expo 2020 - Online Exhibition - California Institute of the Arts - Valencia, CA
January 2020 - Art + Technology - Coaxial Arts Foundation - Los Angeles, CA
August 2018 - Burning Man 2018, I, Robot - Black Rock City, NV
October 2011 - Wonderland Exhibition - Wonderland Collective, NY
2011 - The Magic Lantern Show - The Mercury Lounge - Manhattan, NY
2010 - The Magic Lantern Show - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI
Speaking Engagements
August 2020 - Art Music Lit Space's 'Methods of Negotiation' Exhibition
October 2019 - California Institute of the Arts - Film School
August 2019 - Director's Guild of America
March 2019 - Producer's Guild of America
November 2018 - American Film Institute
November 2018 - Columbia College Hollywood
October 2018 - University of Southern California - School of Cinematic Arts
August 2017 - Director's Guild of America
Awards
2026 - Best Documentary Short for Sympathetic Fluids - MidWest WeirdFest
2026 - Audience Choice Award for Sympathetic Fluids - Experimental Forum
2026 - Best Video Art Film for Sympathetic Fluids- Experimental Forum
2025 - Eugene V. Cota-Robles Award - UCLA
2021 - Future Art Award for Pop Song - Mozaik Philanthropy
2020 - California Institute of the Arts Commission for Sustainability (CCS) Grant for work Pop Song
2020 - Student Union Metier Grant for work Pop Song - CalArts
2020 - Special Mention for Myself When I'm Not Real - Mozaik Philanthropy
2019 - Honoraria for Parallel Self Embraced - The Burning Man Organization
2018 - Honoraria for Cirrus - The Burning Man Organization
2010 - Audience Choice Award - 48-Hour Film Festival, Madison, WI​