For its debut at the London Art Fair, ArtULTRA proposes an encounter between two women artists of different generations and countries, whose works show unexpected affinities. Entering into a dialogue, prominent French abstract painter Christine Ankaoua (b.1945) and Anglo-Portuguese emerging artist Beatriz Santos (b.1996) explore harmony and dissonance alike. Although generations apart, Ankaoua and Santos share a profound connection through their sensuous palette, dynamic forms, and their exploration of the emotional depths within the canvas. 

 

Both centering light and colour to convey internal moods, Ankaoua's abstract, expressive gestures find resonance in Santos's intricate, figurative scenes. The state of reverie is another common departure point for Ankaoua and Santos. For Ankaoua, “being an artist means to be constantly dreaming, and from that dream, build something.” Echoed in Beatrice’s poetic compositions of daydreaming figures, this desire to translate visceral emotions and internal tumult into vivid, pensive dreamscapes on the canvas is what binds the two artists together. 

 

Embodying the spirit of "Encounters" in its unexpected pairing of an established and emerging voice, ArtULTRA proposes to explore the links between abstraction and figuration, by opening up a dialogue between two female artists of distinct generations.​​​