Stefano Ronchi, better known as Ronch is a painter celebrated for his surreal wit and extraordinary attention to detail. His latest exhibition ‘Invisible Lands‘ at BSMT Space takes visitors on a cartographic journey. Exploring landscapes that exist somewhere between observation and imagination.
Mapping the Imagination
At the heart of Invisible Lands is Ronch’s fascination with discovery. It’s something that is both visual and psychological. Each canvas beginning with something tangible. Perhaps an animal, a distant figure or the curved folds of a dress. From there, the scene begins to mutate. What starts as a focal point gradually blossoms into entire worlds populated by curious characters and unexpected details.
Interview with RONCH
Video Interview with RONCH at his studion in East London
Sparks of Imagination
These sparks of inspiration trigger a cascade of questions. What is that doing there? Who is that figure on the horizon? What story lies beneath the surface?
Look Carefully
Each painting rewards close inspection. Magnifying glasses, placed thoughtfully around the gallery, invite viewers to peer deeper. Treating every shape as a story and every canvas as a miniature cosmos. What might first seem whimsical soon expands into something vast and intricate. Micro-worlds steadily revealing themselves layer by layer.
Surrealism Meets Storytelling
There’s a palpable joy in Ronch’s meticulous approach. His paintings resist taking reality at face value, instead charting landscapes of the mind where absurdity and profundity co-exist. A long-time admirer of Italian author Italo Calvino. Ronch draws inspiration from his Invisible Cities. Somewhere in which imagined places reflect inner truths and the surreal becomes a way of seeing the real.
Invisible Lands
Invisible Lands is an invitation to look closer. Ronch’s paintings ask us to lean in, to follow the lines of light and imagination. To lose ourselves in places that don’t quite exist. Things that are just outside the bounds of imagination.
About the Artist
About the Artist — Stefano Ronchi (Ronch)
Stefano Ronchi, known as Ronch, is a Milan-born, East London-based artist celebrated for his intricate, surreal compositions. Blending what he calls magical realism with a distinctive “punk-surrealist” style, his work invites viewers to explore imagined worlds with meticulous detail. A finalist in Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year 2023, Ronch is an artist who continues to push the boundaries of narrative painting.
Follow Ronch: @ronch_artist | Website
Invisible Lands from Ronch opens with a private view on Thursday, October 16th (6–9pm) at BSMT Gallery. The exhibition runs until November 2nd, 2025.
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