Finnish resident artist in Oman, Matti Sirvio will present his first solo exhibition – Green Pastures – in Milan (Italy), curated by Stefania Carrozzini, at MyMicroGallery, on September 18

‘He leads me besides still waters, in the paths of righteousness… I will fear no evil, your rod and your staff, they comfort me… It is like flicking through the biblical Psalms and reliving what they stand for.

Shades of green, blue, amber, magenta, purple and grey – cleverly manipulated using chiaroscuro (a technique of using ‘light and dark’ hues) – create an illusory space… And you see the Psalms come alive in essence, each with a distinct mandate.

Proprietor of Matti Sirvio Art Galleria, Matti Sirvio, who has been propagating contemporary abstract art in Oman and providing a formidable platform for established as well as budding artists in Oman for the past seven years, now has a new shimmering feather in his cap – he showcases his first solo exhibition in Milan, Italy this week.

‘Green Pastures’, curated by Stefania Carrozzini, will be showcased at MyMicroGallery, in Via Giovanni Boccaccio 24, Milan (Italy), between September 18 and October 3. MyMicroGallery, an exhibition space founded by Carrozzini, is available for artists from all over the world and intended to welcome ideas without borders.

This ‘bonsai gallery’ is a physical and virtual place for projects and comparisons where artists are the absolute protagonists. In fact, this gallery is similar to Matti Sirvio Art Galleria in Jawharat al Shatti which offers very limited space for solo/joint exhibitions though international artists in Omani consider it a prestigious platform to showcase their work amid that of artists from all over the world.

Green Pastures consists of twelve abstract works executed in oil on canvas, large in size, inspired by the biblical Psalms and the question of the representation of the divine. The narrative development of his works unfolds through a pictorial language based on colour and signs, such as mnemonic traces, ancient symbols that represent the search for truth, the path of life, and the encounter with the divine.

Duality of perception

Matti explores the concept of the ‘visible invisible’, a theme that plays with the duality of what can be physically perceived and what escapes sight, but is felt or intuited spiritually. The Psalms, with their deep and meditative lyricism, reflect this tension between the tangible and intangible presence of God.

Matti Sirvio’s works are a crossroads – a synthesis between geometric and organic forms that emerge from an indefinite background, as if they were in continuous movement between light and shadow, as a symbol of the divine presence that illuminates without being directly perceptible. They are a combination of forms suspended in ethereal space that recall natural elements, often mentioned in the Psalms with oscillations between dark tones in contrast to the light and intense shades of green, fresh, vibrant and meditative.

In his work, you encounter water, a symbol of purification and renewal, the earth, and the mountains as a symbol of majesty and stability, hints of ancient writings, signs that recall flowers and plants, symbols of beauty and fragility until everything becomes sky, a symbol of infinity.

The titles for Green Pastures chosen from the 150 Psalms reveal the desire to offer a contemplative and spiritual experience, inviting the observer to reflect on the mystery of the divine presence which, as in the Psalms, is deeply felt, but never fully grasped.

Bridge between two worlds

Matti Sirvio’s research has moved since his artistic debut along the path of abstraction, the most immediate and direct one that allows him to express and communicate the essence of the soul’s movements, encountering the biblical message, giving it greater inspirational force.

For Matti Sirvio, the Bible is an inexhaustible creative source. His work becomes a bridge between the material and immaterial worlds, a way to express the infinite, the eternal and the mystery of God.

“The ‘visible invisible’ is in each one of us. Feelings, values, beliefs, convictions are all recognised by their influence. DNA may be visualised by digital symbols and blueprints but, in reality, it remains invisible. The most significant operator of our inner man continues to be hidden. God is present, invisibly,” Matti said explaining the essence of his collection.

“Abstract, in my understanding, refers to everything non-material. True spirituality cannot be captured by man-made rituals and ceremonies. The spirit claims it’s freedom like a wind (John 3:8). For an artist, the expression of this spirit in colours, shapes, and composition is not a professional performance. It’s an act of worship,” he asserts.

Visible and invisible elements

The ‘invisible element’ of Green Pastures is Carrozzini – the curator of this exhibition – an artist, art critic, journalist, artist’s coach and independent curator. She had earlier been a correspondent and special envoy to United States of America for the cultural and visual communications D’Ars Magazine and has also worked for many years with Pierre Restany, a well know art critic and founder of Nouveau Realisme.

Matti Sirvio (File photo)

The ‘visible element’ is the work of Matti Sirvio – a seasoned Finnish artist – who came to Muscat in 2013 and set up his gallery in September 2017. Having studied Art Therapy in England, a call to humanitarian work redirected his way Eastward. For the following twenty-five years Sirvio worked with humanitarian church work from Sweden and Hungary and among the Turkic nations in the former Soviet Union. He has also lived in Sweden, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey.

Sirvio’s style is ‘semi-abstract expressionism’ which reflects his impressions from the Orient and the North. During the past years, Sirvio has had exhibitions in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, England, Russia, Oman, Austria and Finland. His works are in private collections in Finland, USA, Europe, South Korea, India, China, Eurasia, the Mena Region and the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.