Seeds of Change 147

Salvatore Matteo

24” x 36”

Acrylic, archival paper, graphite, strings, barbwire on wood board,

Seeds of Change 147 by Salvatore Matteo transforms the elemental medium of paper into an intricate sculptural drawing that hovers between architecture, mandala, and meditation. Delicately cut and layered, pure-white paper curls into rhythmic spirals and sweeping contours that rise from a meticulously drawn ground. Light becomes an active collaborator, casting shifting shadows that animate the surface and extend the composition beyond its frame.

Matteo conceives these works as contemporary mandalas, structures drawn from Eastern spiritual traditions that symbolize a universe in balance. Central to the piece is the tension and harmony between circle and square, archetypes that recur throughout art history from sacred geometry to modern abstraction. The circle, associated with emotion and intuition, intertwines with the square, emblematic of logic and structure. Seeds of Change 147 proposes balance as both a personal and societal necessity.

The piece resonates with Constructivist reliefs, the spatial investigations of artists like Naum Gabo, and the spiritual abstraction of Agnes Martin and Kazimir Malevich. Matteo extends these legacies through hand-cut paper, a material that emphasizes fragility and impermanence. Embedded within the serenity of the form are subtle disruptions, references to barbed wire, razors, and taut springs, quietly folded into the composition. These elements register the realities of contemporary life, where violence, injustice, and media saturation intrude upon any search for harmony.

Presented as part of Mash Gallery’s group exhibition Rhythmic Contours, Seeds of Change 147 offers a sculptural interpretation of rhythm through repetition, curvature, and pause. The eye follows the flow of paper lines as they rise, fold, and return, experiencing rhythm as a contemplative cycle. As light shifts across the surface, the work evolves, reinforcing Matteo’s belief that perception itself is dynamic. Seeds of Change 147 offers a philosophical proposition that balance remains the seed from which meaningful change can grow.

razor blade with signature