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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