antonio santin: hyper-real paintings of bodies under carpets

‘k de etaat’
220 x 230 cm, oil on canvas

spanish artist antonio santin‘s hyper-realistic paintings depict haunting imagery of human bodies hidden under highly ornamented tapestries. the almost tactile figures are carved through chiaroscuro, and the resulting forms appear to physically respond to the silken textiles and materials. the concealed silhouettes protrude from beneath the detailed, intricate fibers that surface the decorated carpets, revealing eerie compositions that both attract and unsettle the audience. the still-life images originate from his own composed photographs, which he projects onto a wall and manipulates their size and proportion. santin is currently exhibiting at marc straus gallery, new york.

‘fiebre amarilla’
243 cm, oil on canvas

‘san martin’
180 x 290 cm, oil on canvas
all images courtesy of antonio santin

‘volver’
200 x 290 cm, oil on canvas

‘nubes o nieblas’
200 x 220 cm, oil on canvas
private collection, philadelphia

‘we rot’
370 x 220 cm, oil on canvas
private collection, new york

‘agatha’
200 x 300 cm, oil and acrylic on canvas

‘media veronica’
305 x 198 cm, oil on canvas
private collection, hong kong

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