Artist Statement (EN)

I paint to question and challenge the masks we wear to conform to societal expectations—examining the roles women are subtly coerced into playing and the pressures to perform them.

My parents arrived in Australia as young Estonian refugees, forever marked by their displacement. My mother, eager to assimilate, mirrored the lives of the female neighbors—meticulously replicating their clothes, hairstyles, gardens, home decor, and even their mannerisms. I felt suffocated, invisible, as I struggled to contort myself to fit in.

Painting became my act of rebellion. At twelve, I retreated to my dad’s shed, where I began creating oil paintings on scraps of cardboard. It was the only space where I felt truly free—where I could express myself without constraint.

Today, I make bold, oversized portraits of women with a retro-glam Hollywood flair. Posed like fashion models, often holding a rabbit or a cat, these figures are drenched in vivid pinks, neon pigments, and saturated hues. Larger-than-life, glamorous yet unsettling, they invite viewers to reflect on the polished façades we’re pressured to maintain.

Texte d’Intention (FR)

Je peins pour remettre en question les masques que l'on porte pour se conformer aux attentes du monde, en explorant les pressions exercées sur les femmes et les rôles qu'on nous impose.

Mes parents sont arrivés en Australie en tant que jeunes réfugiés estoniens, marqués à jamais par leur déplacement. Ma mère, désireuse de s'intégrer, a imité la vie de ses voisines – copiant minutieusement leurs vêtements, leurs coiffures, leurs jardins, leur décoration intérieure, et même leurs manières. Je me suis sentie étouffée, invisible, en essayant de me conformer à ce modèle.

La peinture est devenue mon acte de rébellion. À douze ans, je me suis réfugiée dans l'atelier de mon père, où j'ai commencé à peindre des toiles à l'huile sur des morceaux de carton. C’était le seul endroit où je me sentais vraiment libre, où je pouvais m’exprimer sans contrainte.

Aujourd’hui j’explore ces thèmes à travers de grands portraits audacieux de femmes, ayant l’ambiance du glamour rétro d’Hollywood.Posées comme des mannequins, souvent tenant un lapin ou un chat, ces figures sont baignées de couleurs vives, de pigments néon et de teintes saturées. Monumentales, glamour mais déstabilisantes, elles vous poussent à questionner les façades polies qu’on nous incite à projeter.

Biography (EN)

Chris Aerfeldt is a painter born in Australia to Estonian parents, and is now based in Montpellier, France. She is known for her bold, colourful works of powerful women that question expectations, imposed roles, and double standards.

Aerfeldt’s first degree was in art education. She then went on to design one-off evening wear for her own boutique, with colour playing a key role.

Aerfeldt returned to art school and was awarded a Fine Art Honours degree from Adelaide Central School of Art. She was awarded a prestigious Samstag Scholarship to travel to London to complete her MFA at Chelsea College of Art.

Aerfeldt’s work has been exhibited internationally in Australia, London, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and France. Her paintings are held in major public and private collections, including those of Charles Saatchi and the Art Gallery of South Australia.

She most recently won the 'Coup de Coeur' People’s Prize at the Grands Prix Artistes Occitanie 2025

Biographie (FR)

Chris Aerfeldt est une peintre née en Australie de parents estoniens, et installée à Montpellier, en France. Ses œuvres vibrantes et colorées explorent les pressions sociales et les rôles imposés aux femmes, ainsi que les masques qu'elles sont amenées à porter.

Avant de se consacrer exclusivement à la peinture Aerfeldt a conçu des vêtements de soirée uniques pour sa propre boutique, où la couleur jouait un rôle clé..

Elle est diplômée en éducation artistique et en beaux-arts de l'Adelaide Central School of Art, ainsi que d'un Master du Chelsea College of Art, Londres, obtenu grâce à la bourse prestigieuse Samstag. Son travail a été exposé à l'international en Australie, à Londres, en Corée du Sud, en Espagne, en Suisse et en France, et fait partie de collections majeures, y compris celles de Charles Saatchi et de la Galerie d'Art d'Australie-Méridionale.

Elle a récemment remporté le Prix du Public 'Coup de Coeur' aux Grands Prix Artistes Occitanie 2025.

Curriculum Vitae

Born in Adelaide, South Australia

Lives and works in Montpellier (France)

EDUCATION

2007 MA Fine Art, Chelsea College of Art & Design, London (Samstag Scholarship for international study)

2001 Bachelor of Visual Art (Hons), Adelaide Central School of Art, South Australia

1998 New York Studio School Drawing Marathon at Adelaide Central School of Art

1980 Bachelor of Education (Art Teaching) University of South Australia

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024-2025 Dream Vision, (two-person show), Castang Art Project, Perpignan, France (Dec/Jan)

2024 Odyssée de lé’Imaginaire, Éspace Saint-Ravy, Montpellier, France

2021 Counter Histories, (two-person show) Praxis ARTSPACE, Adelaide, Australia

2018 The Heroine’s Journey, Muxart Museum, Martorell, Spain

2017 L’art en Boite, Ville de Beziers, France

2017 Kölner-Liste Art Fair, Cologne

2016 La Vie en Rose, Castang Art Project, Perpignan, France

2012 Be Prepared, Helen Gory Galerie at the Melbourne Art Fair

2009 Silver threads and golden needles (cannot mend this heart of mine), Wyer Gallery, London

2006 Flying Visitation, Helen Gory Galerie, Melbourne, Australia

2004 heav’n & hell, Helen Gory Galerie, Melbourne, Australia

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024 Art Montpellier, Artistes Occitanie, Parc des Expositions, Montpellier

2022 Disrupted, WO Foundation (online)

2018 Bad Mannerism, Galerie Pompom, Sydney

2014 Melbourne Art Fair, This Is No Fantasy, Melbourne

2013 Volta Art Fair, Basel, with Berloni Gallery, London

2011 Home Stories, Adelaide Central Gallery and The Migration Museum, Adelaide

2011 Helen Gory Galerie at MOP Projects, Sydney

2010 Melbourne Art Fair with Helen Gory Galerie

2010 G20 World Artist Festival, Korea Press Center, Exhibition Hall, Seoul, South Korea

2008 Chris Aerfeldt & Elinor Evans (two person show), Wyer Gallery, London

2007 Recent Graduates Exhibition, The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea Park, London

2007 Future Map, The University of the Arts Gallery, London

2007 MA Graduate Exhibition, Chelsea College of Art & Design, London

2006 I found myself in a strange place, Adelaide Central Gallery, Adelaide

2006 National Works on Paper exhibition, Finalist, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery

2006 ABN AMRO 2006 Emerging Artist Award, ANZ Building Melbourne

2005 Luminous Two, Helen Gory Galerie, Melbourne

2005 Whyalla Art Prize, Finalist, Whyalla Regional Gallery

2003 SALA Festival Exhibition, Art Gallery of South Australia

2003 Wit and Wisdom, Beauty and Truth, Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide

2003 Eleven, Cube Contemporary Art, Adelaide

2003 White Lies Beneath, Helen Gory Galerie, Melbourne

2003 Hatched, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, Perth

2003 Adelaide Contemporary, Eva Breuer Art Dealer, Sydney

2002 Melbourne International Art Fair, Melbourne, with Cube Contemporary Art

2002 Synthetic Whispers, Helen Gory Galerie, Melbourne

2002 If love fits, wear it, twinBEE Studios, Adelaide

2001 Lo-Sheen, Adelaide Central Gallery, Adelaide

2001 7UP, Studio 91B, Adelaide

2001 Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition, Adelaide

2000 Nocturnal Workings, State Library of South Australia, Adelaide

COMMISSIONS AND PROJECTS

University of the Arts London, permanent collection

Artwork appearing in Carla Cametti, SBS Australia TV series, 2009

Artwork as poster for short film ‘Hannah Rosenthal’ 2017, director Naomi Lisner

SELECTED AWARDS

2024 Winner ‘People’s Choice’ & Finalist Jury Prize; Grand Prix Artistes Occitanie, France

2024 Finalist, Jackson’s Art Prize UK

2011 Eran Svigos Award for best visual art at the Adelaide Fringe Festival for Home Stories

2006 Anne & Gordon Samstag Visual Arts Scholarship to undertake MFA at Chelsea College of Art, London

2003 Project Assistance Grant, Arts SA

2002 Joint winner in category ‘Rising Stars’, ‘The Advertiser’ Oscarts 28/12/02

2001 Joint winner ‘Best new talents’, ‘The Advertiser’ Oscarts, 22/12/01

2000 Scholarship for full time studies, Adelaide Central School of Art

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Charles Saatchi (London)

David Roberts (London)

Robert Devereux (London)

University of the Arts London

Art Gallery of South Australia

Artbank Australia

The Faulding Collection (South Australia)

Stillwell Management Consultants (Adelaide)

SELECTED PRESS AND MEDIA

2025 IMAGES, video-portrait et article, Alexandre Joannidès, France 3 Occitanie

2025 Et soudain… Chris Aerfeldt, Thibault Loucheux-Legendre, Snobinart, No 22/ janvier-février 2025

2025 Il n’est jamais trop d’art, Radio FM_Plus interview, Maria Carrier, radiofmplus.org

2024 L’ Odyssée de l’imaginaire” de Chris Aerfeldt, Thibault Legendre, Snobinart, Oct 2024 [online]

2024 Des femmes hautes en couleur a Saint-Ravy, Caroline Couffinhal, La Gazette de Montpellier, Oct 3-9

2024 Grands Prix Artistes Occitanie 2025 : et les gagnants sont... Anne Devailly, Artistes de France - Occitanie

2024 La peintre Chris Aerfeldt réplique avec son pinceau aux propos outranciers de JD Vance, colistier de Donald Trump, Anne Devailly, Artistes de France - Occitanie

2018 Ten things to do this weekend, Sydney Morning Herald, 03/05

2016 Chris Aerfeldt: Surréalisme et féminisme en clair-obscur, Hérault Juridique et Economique

2015 Le Grand Manège de la Femme de Ménage, Art Dans L’Air, juillet/août

2012 Chris Aerfeldt, Artist Profile magazine, Issue 19, 2012, pp 56-59

2012 The Schtick, S29-09, video interview with Helen Gory

2011 Art Interprets History, John Neylon, The Adelaide Review, March 2011

2011 Home Stories Adelaide Central Gallery, Kelli Rowe, Kryztoff Reviewing Adelaide [online] 13

2011 Back to School with Medeia Cohan-Petrolino, Rise Art [online] 15 August

2011 Profile: Helen Gory Galerie, Australian Art Review, July/August

2011 Helen Gory Galerie in Sydney, Art Monthly, September 2011, p.55

2010 Chris Aerfeldt, Ten Words and One Shot [online] 24 May

2010 Upscale fair; scaled-down range, Robert Nelson, The Age, 6/08/10

2010 Fine Display of Optimism, Edward Colless, The Australian, 6/08/102009

2009 Stylist Magazine London, Issue 1, 7 October

2009 Christine Aerfeldt: Painter, Maureen Gordon, Artdate, March

2008 Christine Aerfeldt & Elinor Evans at the Wyer Gallery, Art Sleuth (online) 12/12/08

2008 Postcard from London & Montpellier, Artstate Magazine, No 23

2008 Greener Pastures, Catherine Bauer, Adelaide Matters, April

2007 Market News, Colin Gleadell, The Telegraph, 18/12/07

2007 Investing in Art, The One Show, BBC1, 14/11/07

2007 Best in Show, Helen Sumpter, Time Out London, 13/6/07 p.46

2007 In search of the next best thing, Simon Davis, The Evening Standard, London, 23/5/07

2007 Close-up: Christine Aerfeldt, Artists & Illustrators, London, Aug 2007 p.88

2006 Emerging artists find fresh expression, Adam Dutkiewicz, The Independent Weekly, Sept 2-8

2006 Two Samstag Scholars about to take flight, Stephanie Radok, Art Gallery Guide, Nov/Dec

2006 Young talent time, Margot Osborne, The Advertiser, 14/10/06 pg 4-5

2006 Arts Breakfast, Interview, Radio Adelaide, 2/9/06

2006 Cheeky tweak to realism, Patrick McDonald, The Advertiser, 25/8/06

2006 World Art, Catherine Bauer, Adelaide Matters, June 2006

2006 Two schools of thought, Tim Lloyd, The Advertiser , 4/2/06

2005 Festival full of fine moments, Wendy Walker, The Advertiser, 13/8/05

2005 The memorable: ephemeral, Samstag Catalogue Essay, Wendy Walker, November 2005

2005 Samstag Scholarships for SA artists, Helpmann Academy Update, Issue 49

2005 Put six artists in a room and look what you get, Patrick McDonald, The Advertiser, 2 3/7/05

2005 Profiled in Art Almanac, Dec 2005/Jan2006 Issue

2004 heav’n & hell, Edward Colless, Catalogue essay, May 2004

2004 Hell’s Angels, Yen Magazine, April/May 2004

2004 Preview, Misha Merz, Imprint Vol 39, No 1, Autumn 04

2002 Whispering among the art, Rachelle Unreich, Melbourne Herald Sun, 20/7/02

2001 Galleries come alive, Wendy Walker, The Advertiser, 13/8/01

2001 Emerging Artists, Adelaide Matters, July 2001

2001 ‘7 UP’, Stateline - ABC TV, 3/08/01

2001 Snapshot - The Graduates, ABC TV, 15/3/01

2000 Moments of Surprise, Wendy Walker, The Advertiser 12/3/01

2000 Successful Collision of Old and New, Sheila Bryce, Helpmann Academy Update, Issue 27

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