Santiago Evans Canales at Galerie Derouillon

Artist: Santiago Evans Canales

Exhibition title: A Gawking Fixation

Venue: Galerie Derouillon, Paris, France

Date: April 1 – May 15, 2021

Photography: Grégory Copitet / all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Galerie Derouillon, Paris

We are very happy to present Santiago Evans Canales’ first solo show in Paris entitled “A Gawking Fixation”.

Santiago Evans Canales (B. 1996, Mexico City) lives and works in Antwerp.

Santiago Evans Canales takes inspiration from the autobiographical as well as historical and fictional references that have brought a sense of wonder throughout his life. The work stands parallel to the constant change in his personal life and is an attempt to always maintain the childlike wonder and imagination. Borrowing from his childhood memories as his grandmother’s dog, the lush landscape of Mexico or daily life with his girlfriend, Canales’ works plunge us in a dreamlike and immersive world.

Santiago Evans Canales usually paints on giant pieces of paper and develops a very personal technique, using the directness of paper in his vivid compositions. It challenges him with different decisions throughout the process, from the way he cuts the paper before starting, to the dryness and texture of the first paint marks, allowing him various ways to develop the image.

The images become a kind of still from a movie showing a glimpse of the landscapes, interiors, and characters in his drawings. Canales’ practice also includes animation. It pervades his painting that may sometimes look like the storyboard of the story he is telling through one series.

The painting on paper opens a window on this giant paper uncoiling on the floor, and reminds us its first definition as a window through which a viewer perceives a world.

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, What do you mean he’s behind me?, 2020, 315 cm x 120 cm / 124 x 47.2 inches (painting), 360 x 120 cm / 142 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, A Borinquen story, 2020, 60 cm x 60 cm / 23.6 x 23.6 inches (painting), 120 x 100 cm / 47.2 x 39.4 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Borinquen story, 2020, 60 cm x 60 cm / 23.6 x 23.6 inches (painting), 120 x 100 cm / 47.2 x 39.4 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Cool hand Maria, 2020, 132 cm x 76,5 cm / 52 x 30.1 inches (painting), 320 x 120 cm / 126 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Cool hand Maria, 2020, 132 cm x 76,5 cm / 52 x 30.1 inches (painting), 320 x 120 cm / 126 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, Rear view, 2020, 280 cm x 120 cm / 110.2 x 47.2 inches (painting), 320 x 120 cm / 126 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gesture, 2020, 10 cm x 15,5 cm / 3.9 x 6.1 inches (painting), 320 x 120 cm / 126 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Light lean, 2020, 271 cm x 120 cm / 106.3 x 47.2 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Argentinian Perspective, 2020, 210 cm x 120 cm / 82.7 x 47.2 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Argentinian Perspective, 2020, 210 cm x 120 cm / 82.7 x 47.2 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, Gasping Flower, 2020, 24.5 cm x 27.5 cm / 9.5 x 10.8 inches (painting), 120 x 100 cm / 47.2 x 39.4 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Gasping Flower, 2020, 24.5 cm x 27.5 cm / 9.5 x 10.8 inches (painting), 120 x 100 cm / 47.2 x 39.4 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Gasping Flower, 2020, 24.5 cm x 27.5 cm / 9.5 x 10.8 inches (painting), 120 x 100 cm / 47.2 x 39.4 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Cool July, 2020, 160 cm x 150 cm / 63 x 59.1 inches, Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, A Ruckus, 2020, 152 cm x 80 cm / 59.8 x 31.5 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Figaro’s back, 2020, 152 cm x 80 cm / 59.8 x 31.5 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Figaro’s back, 2020, 152 cm x 80 cm / 59.8 x 31.5 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Figaro’s back, 2020, 152 cm x 80 cm / 59.8 x 31.5 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Famished Dusk, 2020, 110 cm x 98.5 cm / 43.3 x 38.7 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Famished Dusk, 2020, 110 cm x 98.5 cm / 43.3 x 38.7 inches (painting), 300 x 120 cm / 118 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, Take it. You’re not made for the winter, 2020, 270 cm x 150 cm / 110 x 59 inches (painting), 300 x 150 cm / 118 x 59 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, Crawling through the sand, 2020, 55 cm x 45 cm / 21.7 x 17.7 inches (painting), 300 x 150 cm / 118 x 59 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, Does this make me taller?, 2020, 252 cm x 120 cm / 99.2 x 47.2 inches, Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, Canis Lupus, I am Not, 2020, 278 cm x 120 cm / 109.5 x 47.2 inches (painting), 360 x 120 cm / 142 x 47.2 inches (paper), Acrylic on Hahnemule Printing Paper

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, Choking flowers, 2020, 60 cm x 50 cm / 23.6 x 19.7 inches, Acrylic on canvas

Santiago Evans Canales, There, 2020, 40 cm x 30 cm / 15.8 x 11.8 inches, Acrylic on canvas

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, Untitled, 2020, 60 cm x 50 cm / 23.6 x 19.7 inches, Acrylic on canvas

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris

Santiago Evans Canales, A Gawking Fixation, 2021, exhibition view, Galerie Derouillon, Paris