While You Were Sleeping
Madeleine Fia Matsson

While You Were Sleeping is an exhibition of paintings and video work by Brooklyn-based artist Madeleine Fia Matsson. This exhibition presents 100+ painted wooden discs accompanied by video documentation of the preparatory work necessary in the life of an artist-mother. Painted en plein air in Green-Wood Cemetery during brief moments between breastfeeding and diaper changes, Matsson’s series portrays a series akin to private notes or collected secrets, diverging from the more literal landscapes she typically creates. Before the gates closed and she returned to her parental duties, she used her leftover pigment to experiment on 5″ wooden discs. What began as playful improvisations grew into a series spanning three years, from her move to the area in 2022 to its completion in 2025.

In response to the time constraints and challenges of child-rearing, a portion of each sale will support Planned Parenthood. While motherhood was a conscious choice for Matsson, she believes no one should be forced into it unprepared or without consent. Parenthood is a gift and an honor for those who embrace it, but it should never be imposed.

About the Artist

Madeleine Fia Matsson is a Swedish-American plein-air painter, curator, educator, and environmentalist whose work explores the interconnections between nature, spirituality, and cultural tradition. Matsson has exhibited across the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Austria, and Mexico. Since moving to South Brooklyn in 2022 she paints primarily in Green-Wood Cemetery and has shown such works at Thomas Van Dyke Gallery, Nails Salon Gallery, Gallery 198, Tiny Dancer Gallery, Fields of Play, and Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition.

She received her MFA from the New York Studio School and has exhibited across the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Austria, and Mexico. She has participated in multiple residencies, including one on Governors Island through the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council during her first trimester.

For more information on Madeleine visit her website and follow her on Instagram.