‘INVISIBLE LANDS’ – A Solo Exhibition by Ronch
This October, BSMT Gallery is proud to present INVISIBLE LANDS, a solo exhibition by Stefano Ronchi, also known as Ronch- a painter of otherworldly detail and surreal wit. Running from October 16th to November 2nd, Invisible Lands is a cartographic dive into imagination: a meticulous exploration of shapeshifting landscapes and the peculiar characters who call them home.
About the Exhibition
At once absurd and profound, Invisible Lands charts Ronch’s ongoing fascination with discovery- both visual and psychological. Each painting begins with something he really wants to paint: an animal, a figure, a landscape, an atmosphere… and then it evolves into something else entirely.
This process, part observation and part improvisation, begins with a clear focal point:
“…that circle of light glaring on a tree trunk in the middle of a forest, the shine of a farthest wave, the curved shapes of a dress, fire, smoke, and of course, sharks”
As shapes emerge, they spark questions. Why is there a squirrel here? Who is this figure in the distance? What are they holding? And slowly, worlds unfold.
The works in Invisible Lands draw the viewer deeper and deeper into their layered surfaces. Employing magnifying glasses as tools of both analysis and amplification, Ronch invites us to do the same- to examine each shape as a story, each canvas a miniature cosmos. What initially feels whimsical gives way to something far more vast, as micro-worlds begin to populate and reveal themselves in their intricacy.
There is an earnestness in Ronch’s meticulousness, a joy in detail, and an almost childlike refusal to accept reality at face value. These works are not mere paintings; they are territories, maps of the imagination.
A long-time admirer of Italian author Italo Calvino, Ronch pays homage to the spirit of Invisible Cities -where imagined landscapes mirror internal truths, and the surreal serves as a lens through which to examine the real.
About the Artist
Stefano Ronchi, aka Ronch, is a Milan-born, London-based artist whose work oscillates between dream logic and sharp-eyed observation. His distinctive “punk-surrealist” approach blends absurdity with intricate craftsmanship. Finalist in Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year 2023, Ronch continues to captivate with a narrative-led practice that is deeply personal, strangely familiar, and entirely his own.
This October, BSMT Gallery is proud to present INVISIBLE LANDS, a solo exhibition by Stefano Ronchi, also known as Ronch- a painter of otherworldly detail and surreal wit. Running from October 16th to November 2nd, Invisible Lands is a cartographic dive into imagination: a meticulous exploration of shapeshifting landscapes and the peculiar characters who call them home.
About the Exhibition
At once absurd and profound, Invisible Lands charts Ronch’s ongoing fascination with discovery- both visual and psychological. Each painting begins with something he really wants to paint: an animal, a figure, a landscape, an atmosphere... and then it evolves into something else entirely.
This process, part observation and part improvisation, begins with a clear focal point:
“...that circle of light glaring on a tree trunk in the middle of a forest, the shine of a farthest wave, the curved shapes of a dress, fire, smoke, and of course, sharks"
As shapes emerge, they spark questions. Why is there a squirrel here? Who is this figure in the distance? What are they holding? And slowly, worlds unfold.
The works in Invisible Lands draw the viewer deeper and deeper into their layered surfaces. Employing magnifying glasses as tools of both analysis and amplification, Ronch invites us to do the same- to examine each shape as a story, each canvas a miniature cosmos. What initially feels whimsical gives way to something far more vast, as micro-worlds begin to populate and reveal themselves in their intricacy.
There is an earnestness in Ronch’s meticulousness, a joy in detail, and an almost childlike refusal to accept reality at face value. These works are not mere paintings; they are territories, maps of the imagination.
A long-time admirer of Italian author Italo Calvino, Ronch pays homage to the spirit of Invisible Cities -where imagined landscapes mirror internal truths, and the surreal serves as a lens through which to examine the real.
About the Artist
Stefano Ronchi, aka Ronch, is a Milan-born, London-based artist whose work oscillates between dream logic and sharp-eyed observation. His distinctive "punk-surrealist" approach blends absurdity with intricate craftsmanship. Finalist in Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year 2023, Ronch continues to captivate with a narrative-led practice that is deeply personal, strangely familiar, and entirely his own.