Antonio Santin produces works that are nearly impossible to identify as paintings, hyperrealistic depictions of decorative rugs covered in complex floral arrangements and patterns. Each piece is composed of thousands of paint strokes that mimic the texture of a rug’s weave, thick segments of oil paint that transform his nearly five-foot long canvases.
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Adding another layer of difficulty to the detailed paintings, Santin includes bulges and creases that appear to obscure large masses beneath his 2D surfaces. Previously working with still lifes, Santin told The Creators Project that the rugs were a way for him to get rid of the figure within his works while still holding on to the outline of its shape. He calls his rug series “figurative paintings without a figure,” eerie pieces that give an illusion of a body hidden beneath the surface.
The New York-based artist was born in Madrid, Spain in 1978, and graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 2005. You can see more of his rug paintings on his website and Instagram. (via The Creators Project)
“alicia” (2014), oil on canvas, 73×110 inches
“flushing meats” (2014), oil on canvas, 56×98 inches
“festland” (2014), oil on canvas, 52×97 inches
“incest coin” (2015), oil on canvas, 78 inches
“dystopian blues” (2014), oil on canvas, 78×90 inches
“Claire” (2014), oil on canvas, 94 1/2 inches
“Claire” (detail) (2014), oil on canvas, 94.5 inches
Source: thisiscolossal.com