The work of Antonio De Santis represents humanity at its most pristine and turbulent levels, taking on the surreal aspects of a futuristic cityscape alongside the time-honored serenity of a pastoral myth. This unique combination of evocations creates compelling work that rouses the viewer to embrace reality as the malleable sum of our collective imaginings. De Santis points his work towards strife and the perseverance of hope through his exploration of social and political subjects. Through combining humble faces, structural forms and imagery pulled from mythological ritual, the artist imbues his pictorial scenes with great emotional significance, filtering in varied elements from Italian baroque, surrealism and abstract expressionism. His use of oil and acrylic together creates depth, while the hard surfaces De Santis uses to render his scenes, namely wood panels, canvas and Plexiglas, give him a greater freedom for the many materials he layers on while bringing his work into consciousness.
Antonio De Santis currently lives and works in Staten Island, New York.