Unit London

Kristof Santy

Platform: Online Exhibition

Until 1 August

Rooted in tradition and customs, Kristof Santy’s work is an amalgamation of various visual elements of everyday life. Thematically ranging from classical portraiture to kaleidoscopic still lifes, Santy’s artistic practice covers a multitude of enigmatic imagery often populated by interiors, landscapes, gastronomy and folklore tales. Rendered in bright and vibrant palettes, his works possess a joyous and playful quality.

Inspired by his immediate environment, Kristof Santy creates colourful images that feel familiar. For the Platform series, Santy chose a coherent selection of four large-scale still lifes, focusing on the interplay between colour, form and shape. These pieces are the product of Santy’s current artistic fixation, focused around the idea of creating the perfect still life.

Click to watch – Kristof Santy discusses his practice and featured works.

‘Those first years I was searching for a language to express myself, so I made portraits of family and some self-portraits, as well as portraits of technical environments. But those paintings didn’t feel real to me, so I started looking and searching in books and going to museums until I discovered the work of Philip Guston and Jean Brusselmans. It was a totally different way of approaching a painting. The expressive way of painting plain subjects felt like an enormous freedom to me.’ – Kristof Santy

Kristof Santy’s in his studio, 2021 / © Kristof Santy, Courtesy of the Artist and Unit London.

Born in 1987, Kristof Santy is a Roeselare based painter who is inspired by folk tales and customs. He presents figurative work based on mythological stories and stylized still lives, naively approaching observations from his immediate environment. He refers to artists such as Philip Guston, Jean Brusselmans, Domenico Gnoli and Konrad Klapheck, but also immerses himself in popular prints by anonymous artists. In 2021 Santy had a debuting solo exhibition titled ‘Nijverheid’ with Thomas Serruys Gallery, in Bruges, Belgium.

Kristof Santy, nameplate for the ‘De Trompet’ building, 2018 / © Kristof Santy, Courtesy of the Artist and Unit London.

As an artist led gallery, we are dedicated to supporting our artists and giving them a foundation from which they can express their ideas. Platform engages with topical cultural and socio-political issues by inviting artists to survey and explore some of the critical concepts that underpin their work. 10% of sales proceeds from each exhibition are donated to a charity of the artists’ choosing. Kristof Santy’s chosen charity is De Trompet – A project by VZW Onze Kinderen.

‘In 2018, De Trompet was looking for someone to create a new nameplate on the facade of the house, someone who can do something creative and different. That is how we met Kristof Santy. Whilst we showed him around the building and explained our work he showed great interest in what we do, fascinated by the stories of the children and families that we work with. The nameplate has represented the perception of our families for several years now. Thanks Kristof, we are so grateful for the continuous support!’ – Wim Lannoo, Tutor and Supervisor at ‘De Trompet’.