Mason Saltarrelli

In Mason Saltarrelli’s enigmatic works on paper, narratives of spirituality, mortality, and the passage of time play out through a subtle interplay of symbols. Saltarrelli mixes seemingly random marks—dots, lines, shapes—with recognizable forms derived from religious and personal contexts, like crosses, eyes, and suggestions of the human figure; despite the works’ abstraction and mystery, the artist asserts: “My work is primarily about narrative.” Saltarrelli usually paints on the ground and often outdoors, giving his works a weathered appearance; he heightens the effects of aging by incorporating stains, tears, and even footprints into his compositions.