Studio at Villa Studios - Historic Village, Tauranga (The Incubator Hub)
Who is Behind the Lens?
'MAt, You Take photos like no one is watching. It's like the subject doesn't even know you are there" -Tanya Trass
Drawing inspiration from my nomadic spirit and the ethereal allure of the universe, my photographic work explores the human experience. I seek the authentic stories hidden within every subject and capture raw unfiltered moments that resonate with the shared essence of humanity.
Known in the creative sphere as Abmon Creative, I was born in Whangārei and lived there until I was about ten, though I say I was raised in Matamata. After completing my Bachelor of Communications from Wintec in 2020, I explored digital art and early experimentation before discovering a deep passion for photography. That passion has since led me to a Diploma in Counselling and Psychology, and the privilege of mentoring other creative souls. My path has carried me into exhibitions such as Vivid, 115, Pixelated 2 - Daulity, and the upcoming showcases 117 and It's about the ITY opening on 16th January 2026.
My work continues to evolve as I follow the pull of curiosity and spirit. Every image is an offering and every story a reminder of our shared humanity. But, in all honesty, I am just some dude who was saved by art and storytelling, and I will never give enough of myself in thanks to the magic that is creativity.
"Mathew's work serves as a testament to the power of storytelling, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in a world where every image encapsulates a fragment of the human soul." - Ally Drury (Multimedia Artist)
Who is the human behind the lense?
What got me into Photography?
Well, I never chose it; it found me in the middle of loneliness and heartbreak, when I was walking the abyss-like roads that felt more expansive than the sky above me. My soul felt like the hills after rain, cracked and thirsty. I wrote for years, filling notebooks with everything I could not say aloud, but words alone never held the weight of what I carried. I grew tired of hunting for lifeless stock images, the kind that never smelled of real rain, wind, or grit under your fingernails. Then the camera came to me, like the tide rolling in, patient and inevitable. I lifted it, and suddenly the world was brutal and soft all at once, light and shadow talking to me in a language older than words. Behind the lens, my mind is free, my spirit untangled, my heart breathing. Photography did not find me by chance; it came to save me, and it still does, daily, fiercely, beautifully, like the land itself holding me when the clouds fall. I thank photography for showing me how to see, for teaching me that even in brokenness there is form, there is flight. Now we begin to soar, wings unfolding, lifting from the ground, flying towards the sky of becoming. Watch out clouds, I will one day soon fly amongst you, in pursuit of injecting as much love and stories into this world before I return to the breath of soil.
Qualifications
I first recieved a Bachelor of Communication with endorsements in Visual Art from Wintec in 2020. Then I received a Diploma in Photography from Toi Ohomai in 2023. After a couple of years of no study. I have just completed a Certificate in Counselling and Pyschology (PSCN6010) from Careers Academy NZ.
What does AbMon stand for?
Abmon deepens as I grow, reflecting how life mirrors art. It is more than a creative persona. It is a testament to resilience and a marker of my journey from darkness to light. Abmon invites others to witness this transformation and to embrace simplicity, existence, and the pursuit of peace.
It began with ABstract MONdays, created during a period of emotional strain, long work hours, and isolation. While painting under a tree in a difficult chapter of my life, the thought “At least I can paint on a Monday” became a small but powerful source of hope. Abstract Mondays expressed chaos and confusion, a raw search for understanding.
Abmon is the evolution of that energy. It carries the same heart but moves with calmness and clarity. It represents my shift from chaos to peace and the growth that carried me there.
What equipment do you shoot with? (Currently)
Canon 90d w f1.8 50mm lens, 18mm-55mm (kit lens), Sigma 18mm to 35mm f1.8, 70mm - 300mm lens, Speedlite 430ex ii, RsMini Gimbal - I can cover all ranges of photography.
What is the meaning of life?
To exist is not merely to breathe, but to be seared by the flames of being, to feel the veins of life stripped bare. Life is a violent teacher, a storm of loss and revelation, where the soul is ripped open and rebuilt in blood and light. Every joy tastes of its own shadow, every love echoes with the ache of inevitable decay. To live fully is to surrender to this sacred brutality, to drink from both the cup of agony and the cup of ecstasy, knowing each sip carries the weight of eternity.
Life is a cosmic crucible, a collision of chaos and divinity, where the ephemeral becomes eternal in the act of witnessing. The world rages and shatters, yet in the shattering lies the spark of transcendence. Each heartbeat is a drum of creation and destruction, a reminder that we are both dust and divine fire. To embrace life is to walk unflinching through its storms, to see the holy in wounds, and to rise each time, bleeding, radiant, awake.
What would I do if i won lotto?
I will buy some land and build a temple, a sanctuary shaped by care and intention, where stories can be told and heard, and where breath becomes a tool of restoration. Within its walls, wandering souls will find rest, their pain acknowledged and softened, their spirits invited to rise. Through storytelling and mindful breathing that reconnects body and mind, I will help heal not just individual hearts, but the broken cracks of society itself. I am doing that now, but winning the lotto would only speed up that ascension.
What would the movie title of my life be called?
The movie of my life is titled Remember. It begins in a haze of forgotten echoes, where I wander through landscapes not my own, chasing shadows that wear my face. Each chapter unfolds as a story within a story, a labyrinth of memory and imagination, where the past whispers like wind over broken glass. I stumble upon fragments of myself—lost dreams, unspoken words, and faint pulses of what I once was. Storytelling becomes my compass, discovery my path; each tale, each reflection, tethers the pieces together, revealing the terrain of my soul. The journey is neither linear nor gentle. It is a pilgrimage through fire and silence, loss and illumination, until I confront the truths I once fled. In the end, I emerge not as who I was, but as who I am meant to be. Remember is not a memory; it is a reclamation, a return, a reckoning, a homecoming to myself.
What is my favourite colour?
Sky blue paired with fresh-cut grass green and lavender purple. Colour codes #76F9FA, #C12AFA, and #56FF49. Yes! I know the codes to my favourite colours.
What is my favourite number?
I have always felt a calling to 7, and when I discovered its symbolism and spiritual essence, I finally understood why. It breathes with the part of me that seeks truths beneath the surface, that listens to the secret currents of intuition, that finds stillness where wisdom sleeps. The number 7 mirrors my journey, one of reflection, awakening, and gentle illumination. It reminds me that even in solitude, the soul is guided, the heart knows, and the universe whispers its hidden truths to those who truly listen.
