Born in 1971 in Chicago, Tony Matelli is a New York-based sculptor renowned for his painstakingly detailed and hyperrealistic sculptures. His practice interrogates how we define ourselves as human beings, what constitutes meaningful relationships, and the transience of life. Matelli explores these existential themes through a playful yet incisive lens, consistently pushing the boundaries of his chosen medium. The result is a subversive and thought-provoking dialogue that expands the possibilities of contemporary sculpture.

Incorporating figurative, botanical, and abstract elements, Matelli’s bronze works often present unexpected juxtapositions—such as in his Weeds series, in which plants appear to grow from the cracks between gallery walls and floors. Throughout his oeuvre, and especially in his mirror paintings, he eschews conventional genre classifications in favour of experiential engagement, prompting viewers to reconsider perception, reflection, and presence.

Matelli’s work has been widely exhibited at prominent institutions including the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; Uppsala Museum, Sweden; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; The Davis Museum, Wellesley, MA; Kunsthalle, Vienna; and Bergen Kunstmuseum, Norway. One of his most iconic sculptures, Sleepwalker, has been notably displayed on The High Line in New York and on the campus of Wellesley College in Massachusetts.