Metamorfosis 1960

Manuel Rivera made Metamorfosis using metal mesh to create something that's caught between sculpture and drawing. The way Rivera layers the mesh reminds me of the act of sketching. It's like he's drawing in space, building up the form with these delicate, wire-like lines. The light catches the mesh in such a way that it's almost as if the piece is breathing. Look closely, and you can see how the texture of the mesh creates moiré patterns and subtle shifts in tone. It's a dance of light and shadow that activates the surface and gives the work a sense of depth and movement. There’s a lightness to it, which reminds me of the work of Alexander Calder. But Rivera's piece also has this raw, almost industrial edge, maybe because of the choice of material. It’s like he's trying to capture something ephemeral, something that's constantly in flux. It embraces ambiguity, inviting us to see new possibilities in the everyday.