Casa MB is pleased to present Hermit, an exhibition of new works by Kristof Santy. This is the artist’s second solo show with the gallery. The exhibition opens on November 14 at Casa MB in Milan with an opening reception from 7 to 9 pm.
In Hermit, painterly explorations elevate mundane objects and scenes to monumental reflections of simplicity and solitude. Santy immerses himself directly into his own environment, capturing the sights and objects of his garden and immediate surroundings. The result is a series of paintings that balance intimacy and grandeur, translating personal reality into vivid paintings that reflect a unique vision of everyday life.
Inspired by his introspective nature, Santy adopts the "hermit" persona—not only in the reclusive, meditative sense but also as a symbol of singularity and self-containment. The title, a nod to the hermit crab and its isolated existence, resonates with the artist’s own connection to his home, a refuge, where he finds both comfort and inspiration.
Santy’s subjects, from birds and plants to household tools, take on a contemplative presence. In Zanglijster, a meticulously detailed rendering of a songbird among pinecones, he celebrates the simple beauty of nature’s rhythms, inspired by a bird that frequented his garden each spring. Similarly, in Vogelnestkast, two birds nestle around a rustic birdhouse, infusing a sense of warmth and quietude.
In contrast to these organic elements, Santy’s treatment of man-made objects reveals a fascination with form and texture. Works like Vleesmolen, a gleaming meat grinder on a reflective countertop, and Secateur, a close-up of garden shears, present these tools as monumental objects in their own right. Through his meticulous attention to light, shadow, and color, Santy transforms these utilitarian items into subjects of contemplation and even reverence. The almost exaggerated simplicity of shapes, as seen in Citroen, a striking lemon study, highlights his progression in making the ordinary iconic.
Santy’s inclusion of works on paper further enriches the exhibition. These minimalist renderings, studies of everyday forms like brushes and plugs, serve as a “library” of basic shapes that Santy revisits and reinterprets across his paintings. These drawings act as a foundation upon which the paintings build.
Hermit captures Santy’s artistic philosophy, his paintings balance precision with whimsy, exalting the simplicity of a life lived in close observation of one’s surroundings. This exhibition looks at the beauty in the overlooked and finds significance in the objects that populate our daily lives.
Kristof Santy’s (b. 1987, Belgium) recent solo exhibitions include Home Sweet Home, M+B, Los Angeles; Playtime, Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels, Belgium; Bric-à-Brac, Ter Posterie, Roeselare, Belgium; Epinal and Icon, Christine König Galerie, Vienna, Austria; and La Grande Bouffe and Platform, Unit, London, UK. His work has been included in group exhibitions at Galerie De Ziener, Asse, Belgium; Everyday Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium; and Yusto/Giner, Malaga, Spain. Next year his work will be featured in group exhibitions at The Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst and the ABBY Museum in Belgium. Kristof Santy lives and works in Roeselare, Belgium.
