Ian Matthews studied photography at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and graduated with a BFA in 2017. His personal work is diaristic, and tells the story of his own life, as if living is the art itself. He reverently documents the places he has lived ("On Shepherd Avenue"), the physical items that develop lasting sentiment ("Semi-Permanent Objects"), and the people he has known and loved ("I've Got to Find a Way to Escape the Horrible Ravages of Youth"). Themes in his work include camaraderie, hedonism, platonic love, and feeling nostalgic for the present moment—knowing that this point in time is as young as any of us will be again. His preferred medium is color film, using cameras that range from 35mm to 120 to 4x5. His influences include Richard Billingham, Nan Goldin, Eugene Richards, Larry Fink, Larry Clark, and Mike Brodie.


Professionally, he photographs homes for real estate listings, as well as alternative portraiture.