Artist Antonio Santn uses oil paintings to create intriguing illusions of decadent, rippling textiles. The Spain-based artist paints intricate patterns on his circular canvases, offering mind-bending distortions that give depth to flat surfaces. He creates this realistic sense of depth by manipulating the patterns and shading of his subjects. The ripples lead the viewer to imagine what is lying beneath the tapestry: an object, or even a person.
Santn’s work is an outgrowth of the Spanish Tenebrism style, which juxtaposes striking contrasts between light and dark elements. Although the Tenebrism style usually depicts people, the artist translates the technique into patterns showcasing masterful light-and-dark shading.
The artist likes using his work to help people look at everyday surfaces and objects from a fresh perspective. On his website, he says he strives to “[create] a visceral tension between surface and space with a range of techniques that incorporate both the technical foundations of classical painting and unexpected alterations to the qualities of oil paint to re-assemble the sensory experiences of everyday life.”
