Ausstellung "CHRISTY ASTUY - Santissima"
22/11/2025 - 15/02/2026
Show all dates
In the paintings of Christy Astuy, European and American imagery merge into a private iconography that not only offers a remarkable wealth of art-historical associations with numerous quotes and allusions but also dares to question the relationship between form and content in the most unorthodox way.
If one does not want to solely retreat into the enjoyment of the "beautiful semblance" of the attractive stories that are told here in exquisite technique and delicate colors, several paths are suitable for delving deeper into Astuy's cosmos. After many years of intense study, her obvious interest in the old masters is reflected not only in technical knowledge directly related to the painting craft.
The artist thereby opened up a seemingly inexhaustible reservoir of motifs that she was able to use for the development of her distinctive personal style. For the "American" Astuy, the masterpieces of Western art history represent a formal treasury that allows her to operate in a certain sense more freely and unreservedly than her colleagues, who were born and socialized in the West. She plunders the European art cornucopia without scruples regarding the ingrained "burden" of historical references and connotations that our centuries-old society is accustomed to considering or taking into account as a shared cultural standard (more or less consciously) in all expressions.
Freed from traditional ties of this kind, Christy Astuy prefers a non-hierarchical system and develops the narrative threads of her exotic-looking scenarios even from "inappropriate" elements. Where Barbie and the Virgin Mary meet accompanied by Picasso figures, a specific comedy arises from the discrepancy of the protagonists, which in turn produces strange connections of meaning. Beauty, love, personal preferences, and objects that the artist has been enthusiastic about since her teenage years are treated from her subjective female perspective.
Exhibition opening: November 22, 4 PM
Duration of the exhibition: 23.11.2025 – 15.02.2026
Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday: 10 AM – 6 PM, Sunday: 10 AM – 4 PM
Note: The exhibition will be closed on December 25 and 26, 2025, as well as on January 1, 2026.
Date and time
23/11/2025 - 15/02/2026
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Starts at: 10:00 O'clock
Name & Location
Mürzzuschlag - Kunsthaus Muerz