THE EDITOR

I grew up in Flint, Michigan—which, if you know, means I learned early that you build things yourself or they don’t get built.

By day, I’m a production designer. I build worlds for film and TV—sets, spaces, environments that tell stories before anyone says a word. I’ve spent years crafting other people’s visions. Beautiful work. But always someone else’s.

Then one night in my West Hollywood apartment—floor covered in sketches, laptop glowing, probably too much whiskey—I wrote a manifesto. Not because anyone asked. Because I couldn’t not.

I was tired of compartmentalizing. Professional Matthew over here. Queer, kinky, quietly intense Matty over there. Turns out they’re the same guy. Who knew.

DEN 13 is what happens when you stop separating who you are from what you make. When you take everything you’ve learned about building worlds and point it at building yourself.

I design every piece. I prototype in my living room. I’ve worn the harnesses to warehouse parties to see if the buckles chafe (they did; I fixed it). This isn’t a side project—it’s the project. The one that was always waiting.

Someone once told me: “This is all the things you love combined.”

That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about my work.

I’m building the thing I need to become. Or maybe it’s building me. Either way—

The code is true.

— Matty

(Please come and read the prologue to my manifesto - A Study on Systemic Queerness and the Architecture of Identity.)