Matt Shlian: Every Line is a Circle if you Make it Long Enough- Exhibit

Matt Shlian works within the increasingly nebulous space between art and engineering. As a paper engineer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Shlian’s work is rooted in print media, book arts, and commercial design, though he frequently finds himself collaborating with a cadre of scientists and researchers who are just now recognizing the practical connections between paper folding and folding at microscopic and nanoscopic scales.

Matt Shlian’s latest body of work invites viewers into a world where art, science, and engineering converge. Renowned for his intricate paper sculptures, Shlian transforms flat sheets into dynamic, dimensional forms, exploring the beauty of structure, pattern, and movement. Each piece reflects a deep curiosity about the unseen forces that shape our world — from the mathematics of nature to the rhythm of soundwaves. This exhibition showcases Shlian’s most recent explorations, pushing the boundaries of paper as a medium and revealing the poetic potential of precision and play.

Shlian previously exhibited a small selection of work alongside Li Hongbo ten years ago at the Dennos Museum Center in the exhibition LiHongbo & Matt Shlian: Stacked & Folded Paper as Sculpture.

Learn more about him and his work online at mattshlian.com.