Matteo Mauro returns to Artissima 2026 for the third consecutive year, presenting two new Steel on Canvas reliefs with Prometeo Gallery in the fair’s Main Section. Conceived as complementary expressions of the same sculptural composition, the artworks investigate the relationship between material transformation, surface perception and the expressive potential of metal.

Created in 2025-26, the two stainless steel reliefs belong to the Twins Edition, a conceptual pairing distinguished by contrasting finishes: Raw and High Mirror Polished. Both originate from a hand-processed lost-wax casting technique, through which the artist translates intricate gestures and material impressions into a permanent sculptural language.

The juxtaposition establishes a dialogue between two distinct conditions of matter. In the raw version, the surface retains an austere, almost primordial character, revealing the physicality of steel through its irregularities, incisions and layered reliefs. Conversely, the polished counterpart introduces a reflective dimension, dissolving the apparent solidity of the material through the interplay of light, movement and its surrounding environment.

Despite their identical morphology, the two artworks articulate profoundly different perceptual experiences. Their shared composition becomes a field of investigation into the unstable relationship between form and appearance, permanence and transformation.

Positioned at the intersection of painting, sculpture and engraving, Steel on Canvas extends Mauro’s exploration of the pictorial surface beyond its conventional boundaries. The canvas is no longer understood as a passive support but as a sculptural territory, where gesture acquires volume and the engraved mark becomes a physical presence.

Through this dual presentation, Mauro proposes a reflection on material identity and the multiplicity of visual experience, reaffirming his interest in the dialogue between artistic tradition, contemporary processes and the evolving language of abstraction.

Prometeo Gallery | Main Section, Booth Orange 2 – Red 1
Oval Lingotto Fiere, Turin
VIP Preview: 29 October 2026
Public Days: 30 October – 1 November 2026