Antonio Santín explains that his paintings aren't about rugs themselves but rather about what lies beneath them, representing the hidden or ignored aspects of life. He sees the rug as a symbol for concealing truths, using the familiar saying "sweeping something under the rug" to illustrate his point.
His ornamental rug paintings are highly labor-intensive, often requiring many months. It's important to note that Santín's approach is deeply rooted in traditional Spanish tenebrism and Italian chiaroscuro. These techniques utilize extreme contrasts of light and dark to enhance surfaces and imagery for dramatic effect. Santín himself describes his work as "more real than reality itself." This statement underscores his commitment to combining tenebrism, chiaroscuro, and trompe l'oeil techniques, creating an immersive experience that predates today's virtual reality technology.
Santín's work has gained recognition through exhibitions at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Knoxville Museum of Art in Tennessee, the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn, NY, the other Museum in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the Farjam Foundation in Dubai, UAE, Kunstraum Bethanien in Berlin, Germany, and the Georg Kolbe Museum in Berlin, Germany. Notably, his work was featured at the Shara Art Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2021, and in a solo exhibition at the Sharjah Art Museum, UAE, in 2016. His pieces are held in numerous museums and private collections internationally.
I'm thrilled to reveal that Santín will be showcasing his extraordinary pieces in collaboration with the renowned Marc Strauss Gallery. Antonio Santín is making his highly anticipated debut at Taipei Dangdai 2024, and he's bringing his mesmerizing artwork with him!