“Bloemen en kaas” (2022), oil on canvas, 160 x 140 centimeters. All images © Kristof Santy, courtesy of Unit London, shared with permission
Referencing Marco Ferreri’s mordant by the same name, La Grande Bouffe, or The Big Feast, saturates the simple foods found in pantries and fridges with unexpected grandeur. The solo exhibition on view at showcases vivid paintings by Belgian artist that transform humble fare like a cheddar wedge or slice of watermelon into bright, gastronomic celebrations.
Often positioned against textured tile backdrops or striped wallpaper, the oil-based works tend to be either devoid of human life or portray figures in rigid stasis: a butcher stiffly lifts a broom in the shop doorway, a finger peels back a tin of fish with precision, and pans filled with sausages and other meats fry on a stovetop unsupervised. Rendered with Santy’s signature flatness, the tableaus highlight the sometimes unnoticed and yet sumptuous qualities of everyday food.
La Grande Bouffe is on view through August 6, and you can find an archive of the artist’s decadent works on and .
“Fornuis,” oil on canvas, 140 x 160 centimeters
“Fruitmand,” oil on canvas, 140 x 160 centimeters
“Frietpot” (2022), oil on canvas, 170 x 180 centimeters
“Vismarkt,” oil on canvas, 240 x 200 centimeters
“Beenhouwerij” (2022), oil on canvas, 200 x 240 centimeters
“Sardienen met kerstomaten,” oil on canvas, 180 x 180 centimeters
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