Kristof Santy: La Grande Bouffe
5 July – 6 August 2022
Unit London
3 Hanover Square
Mayfair
W1S 1HD
Unit London presents the first solo UK exhibition of new work by Belgian artist Kristof
Santy, opening to the public on 5 July. Entitled La Grande Bouffe (The Big Feast), the
exhibition explores the simple pleasures of everyday gastronomy. La Grande Bouffe includes 17 paintings that iconise the ordinary and celebrate the ubiquitous act of cooking. Inspired by a range of artists and aesthetics including Pop-Art, folk art, arthouse film, and cookbooks from the 60s and 70s – bold and vibrant, his work is characterised by flat planes, bright palettes and enigmatic imagery.
His carefully constructed compositions feature fishing boats, farmers at work, market stalls, butcher shops, and still-lives of plates of food or kitchenware. Santy’s subject matter holds the universal experience of food at its core whilst framing it within his own personal context. His life mirrors his art as he strives for a simple existence, travelling only by bike or by foot, and appreciates the familiar comfort of his locale.
Through his ongoing practice and in this exhibition, Santy captures these fleeting snapshots of his life reminding viewers to see the remarkable in the seemingly unremarkable aspects of the everyday. The artist purposefully ensures the paintings elude any sense of narrative. This resistance to storytelling is heightened by Santy’s characteristically flattened perspective, which does not give way to depth. Instead, the artist’s paintings pay homage to daily life, returning to the universal fundamentals of what makes us all human.
©2022 Kristof Santy, Unit London
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