Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/28193327@N00/ / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Barney is a genuine maverick, and I mean that as the highest compliment even when his work exhausts me. A sculptor who became a filmmaker, he refuses the comforts of legibility; the Cremaster cycle hurls sex, anatomy, geology, and myth at the viewer until interpretation collapses. Drawing Restraint 9, shot partly in Japan, shows how globally restless his imagination is, and the Goslar Kaiserring confirms the art world takes him seriously. I will not pretend it is easy viewing, but I deeply respect an artist this committed to excavating his own private mythology rather than pleasing anyone. He expands what art can attempt.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Matthew Barney
- Name (Japanese)
- マシュー・バーニー
- Reading
- ましゅー・ばーにー
- Born
- March 25, 1967 (age 59)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Goat
- Origin
- San Francisco, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- sculptor / screenwriter / film director / film producer / film actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Capital High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Goslarer Kaiserring
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Drawing Restraint 9 | — | |
| Notable work | The Cremaster Cycle pentalogy | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Matthew Barney born?
Born March 25, 1967 (age 59).
Where is Matthew Barney from?
Matthew Barney is from San Francisco, California, United States.
What does Matthew Barney do?
Matthew Barney works as sculptor, screenwriter, film director, film producer, film actor.
What is Matthew Barney known for?
Notable works include Drawing Restraint 9, The Cremaster Cycle pentalogy.
Sculptor — see all → · Screenwriter — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.