Tony Matelli
I like sculpture because it’s unwieldy, and there is a resistance to decoration in sculpture that I like. Genres are at the service of ideas, not the other way around.
Characterized by hyperrealism and a twisted depiction of everyday objects like flowers and leftover consumer goods, Tony Matelli's sculptures often straddle the boundaries of absurdity and humor, raising broader existential questions.
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Tony Matelli(Made to order) Arrangement (14), 2022painted bronze, stainless steel, galvanized steel, enamel
unique50.8 x 45.7 x 45.7 cm
20 x 18 x 18 in
Pedestal dimensions: 38 x 16 x 16 in -
Tony Matelli(Made to order) Arrangement (Pink Orchid), 2022bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, epoxy, paint
unique71.1 x 40.6 x 30.5 cm
28 x 16 x 12 in
Pedestal dimensions: 38 x 16 x 16 in -
Tony Matelli(Made to order) Arrangement (White Orchid), 2022bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, epoxy, paint
unique78.7 x 52.1 x 45.7 cm
31 x 20 1/2 x 18 in
Pedestal dimensions: 38 x 20 x 20 in
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Tony MatelliArrangement (14), 2022painted bronze, stainless steel, galvanized steel, enamel
unique50.8 x 45.7 x 45.7 cm
20 x 18 x 18 in
Pedestal dimensions: 38 x 16 x 16 in -
Tony MatelliArrangement (15), 2021bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, epoxy, paint71.1 x 40.6 x 30.5 cm
28 x 16 x 12 in
Pedestal dimensions: 38 x 16 x 16 in -
Tony MatelliArrangement (16), 2021bronze, stainless steel, aluminum, epoxy, paint
unique78.7 x 52.1 x 45.7 cm
31 x 20 1/2 x 18 in
Pedestal dimensions: 38 x 20 x 20 in
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Tony MatelliArrangement (17), 2021painted bronze, stainless steel73.7 x 61 x 58.4 cm
29 x 24 x 23 in
Pedestal dimensions : 38 x 20 x 20 in -
Tony MatelliArrangement (18), 2021painted bronze, stainless steel
unique76.2 x 71.1 x 45.7 cm
30 x 28 x 18 in
Pedestal dimensions: 38 x 36 x 20 in
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Tony MatelliArrangement (20), 2021painted bronze, stainless steel73.7 x 61 x 58.4 cm
29 x 24 x 23 in
Pedestal dimensions : 38 x 20 x 20 in -
Tony Matelli495, 2020painted bronze24.13 x 33.02 x 17.78 cm
9 1/2 x 13 x 7 in -
Tony Matelli526, 2020painted bronze33.02 x 20.32 x 38.1 cm
13 x 8 x 15 in -
Tony Matelli542, 2020painted bronze38.1 x 20.32 x 25.4 cm
15 x 8 x 10 in -
Tony Matelli543, 2020painted bronze58.42 x 20.32 x 25.4 cm
23 x 8 x 10 in -
Tony Matelli548, 2020painted bronze
unique14 x 10 x 19 in
35.6 x 25.4 x 48.3 cm -
Tony Matelli564, 2020painted bronze
unique66 x 27.9 x 30.5 cm
26 x 11 x 12 in -
Tony Matelli565, 2020painted bronze
unique64.8 x 27.9 x 20.3 cm
25 1/2 x 11 x 8 in -
Tony MatelliHalf Buddha Two Oranges, 2020granite painted bronze
unique45.72 x 68.58 x 40.64 cm
18 x 27 x 16 in -
Tony MatelliFigure (w/Strawberries), 2019concrete painted bronze157.48 x 40.64 x 40.64 cm
62 x 16 x 16 in -
Tony MatelliHead (Strawberries), 2019concrete, painted bronze25.4 x 45.7 x 25.4 cm
10 x 18 x 10 in -
Tony MatelliYesterday 56, 2019painted bronze rub on transfers urethane beer can111.76 x 40.64 x 45.72 cm
44 x 16 x 18 in
Send me more information on Tony Matelli
The weed is a triumph and a failure at the same time. Weeds persevere; you can’t kill them. They are a celebration of unwantedness.
Born in 1971 in Chicago, Tony Matelli is a New York-based sculptor known for his
painstakingly detailed, resemblant sculptures. Concerned with how we define ourselves as human beings, what constitutes meaningful relationships, and the transience of life, Matelli chronicles these ideas through a playful lens whilst pushing the boundaries of his medium. The result is a subversive dialogue that deepens the conversation surrounding the possibilities of sculpture.
Incorporating figurative, botanical, and abstract forms, his bronze sculptures rely on unusual juxtapositions such as his weeds series in which plants sprout from the space between gallery walls and floors. Across his oeuvre, and particularly in his mirror paintings, Matelli discards traditional genre categories in favor of experiential concerns.
His work has been extensively exhibited and collected in notable institutions including the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Uppsala Museum, Sweden, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, and Bergen Kunstmuseum, Norway, to name a few.
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Tony Matelli a sculptor anchored in normality
Villas 21.9.2021Kunty Moureau for Villas To appreciate the work of Tony Matelli, it is important to take a step back and to forget all of...Read more -
Discover 7 Highlights from the 2021 Armory Show’s VIP Preview
Galerie Magazine 11.9.2021Here’s what not to miss at New York’s leading art fair, which is returning stronger than ever For many, The Armory Show’s 2020 VIP preview...Read more -
The Must-See Artists and Texas Players of The Armory Show, ‘New York’s Art Fair’
PaperCity 11.9.2021T wenty-seven years ago — nearly a decade before Art Basel came to American shores — a micro art fair, The Armory Show , was...Read more -
The Armory Show Review: Hey Good Lookin’
The Wall Street Journal 10.9.2021Brian P. Kelly for WSJ 'For sheer technical brilliance, the sculptures of Tony Matelli at MARUANI MERCIER can’t be beat: a vase of spring-fresh tulips,...Read more
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I see myself less as a sculptor than as an image maker
The Art Newspaper 19.5.2020Paris. On that April day when we are talking on the phone, Tony Matelli works alone in his New York studio, where he is usually...Read more -
Some of the world’s greatest artists photographed in lockdown by Maryam Eisler
LUX Magazine 12.5.2020Darius Sanai for LUX magazine LUX Contributing Editor and artist Maryam Eisler has been photographing some of the world’s greatest artists over FaceTime and WhatsApp...Read more
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Art Brussels 2022
28.04 - 1.05.2022Founded in 1968, Art Brussels is one of the most renowned contemporary art fairs in Europe and a must-see in the international art calendar. This...Read more -
Art Paris 2022
6 - 10.04.2022PRIVATE OPENING Wednesday 6 April 2022, 11 am – 9 pm COLLECTORS PRE-OPENING From Thursday 7 April to Sunday 10 April 2022 , from 10...Read more -
Art Dubai 2022
9 - 13.03.2022VIP Preview Days Wednesday, March 9, 2-9 pm Thursday, March 10, 2-9 pm Public Days Friday, March 11, 2-9 pm Saturday, March 12, 2-9 pm...Read more -
Art Antwerp 2021
16 - 19.12.2021OPENING DAY Thursday 16 December 2021 Preview | 10 am – 4 pm Vernissage | 4 pm – 8 pm PUBLIC DAYS Friday 17 December...Read more -
ART PARIS 2021
9 - 12.09.2021MARUANI MERCIER is honoured to present a selection of artworks from young and established artists for the occasion of the 23rd edition of Art Paris...Read more -
The Armory Show 2021
9 - 12.09.2021MARUANI MERCIER is pleased to announce a solo presentation of Tony Matelli’s Arrangements at the 2021 Armory show in New York, New York. Debuting at...Read more -
Art Brussels Week 2021
3 - 6.06.2021For the Art Brussels WEEK, galleries will be open from Thursday 3 June through Sunday 6 June from 11am to 6pm. Our gallery is excited...Read more -
FIAC 2021
Online Viewing Room 4 - 7.03.2021It's rendez-vous online! Discover a selection of historical and new works of the gallery’s most important and internationally acclaimed artists.Read more -
Tefaf Maastricht 2020
7 - 15.03.2020Established in 1988, TEFAF is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent fair of art and antiques. TEFAF champions the finest quality art from across the...Read more -
ARCO Madrid 2020
20.02 - 1.03.2020ARCOmadrid is the international meeting point for exchange between Europe and Latin America. The fair enjoys the distinction of having been the first fair in...Read more -
BRAFA 2020
26.01 - 2.02.2020The Brafa Art Fair, created in 1956, is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious art fairs, famous for the high quality fine art,...Read more