Still Life

Still life, as an enduring genre in the visual arts, has intrigued both artists and viewers alike for many years. Officially formalized in the 17th Century by the French Academy of Arts, Still Life, during its early years, occupied the lowest rank because it did not depict human subjects. Around the late 1600s, Dutch and Flemish painters began arranging inanimate objects to create allegories using religious symbolism; this, in turn, will mark the increasing popularity of the genre that we have come to know today.

For her latest exhibition, Rafaelle Louise repositions still life as a dynamic and polysemic form of visual interplay where her subjects aim to impart an emotional resonance to their audiences. Tracing the trajectory of still life from its Renaissance origins to its contemporary iterations, Louise poses critical reflections on the nature of representation and the ontology of the everyday. Her seemingly banal and quotidian renditions of various found objects redefine and challenge the traditional boundaries of the genre through the exploration of new media, personal introspections, and adroit conceptual reconfigurations.

Moreover, this paradigm shift in her art style–from a purely abstract form to representational, challenges the long-held prevalent belief that art must imitate life. For Louise, blurring the fine line between abstract and realism interrogates the nature of reality, perception, and human consciousness. It challenges the viewer to abandon preconceived notions of representation to encourage a more profound understanding of the relationship between form and meaning.

Rafaelle Louise (b.1990) studied Visual Communication at the College of Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Rafaelle describes her oeuvre as “modern interplay between action painting and minimalism, where the end product stands somewhere between painting and sculpture”.

“Still Life” by Rafaelle Louise will be on view from November 7 - 18, 2023 with an Artist Reception on November 17, Friday at 5 PM. Galleria Nicolas Greenbelt is located at 3F, Greenbelt 5, Legazpi Street, Makati City. For inquiries, contact Galleria Nicolas at +63 936 225 1226 or email at gallerianicolasgreenbelt@gmail.com.