The Rise of Subtle Opulence in Painting: A Critique of Quiet Luxury

The Rise of Subtle Opulence in Painting: A Critique of Quiet Luxury

Frieze and BMW’s annual initiative, BMW Open Work 2023, presents Marseille artist Sara Sadik’s film installation and video game for the BMW i5 at Frieze London.
Sadik’s project explores emotions and masculinity, with an interactive game and video installation, using the BMW i5 as a canvas for creative expression.
This innovative collaboration continues BMW’s commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue, marking a unique direction for the BMW Open Work Commission.

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lame it on the $500 Loro Piana baseball cap. That logo-free Italian cashmere hat, sported by Kendall Roy in Succession, epitomized the era of "quiet luxury" - a discreet signal of affluence that embraces an understated aesthetic within a high-end lifestyle, catering exclusively to a privileged and well-informed elite. As this cultural trend gains momentum, painters are also picking up on the concept, exploring a more nuanced way to showcase personal tastes. Their works depict exquisite garments and accessories with intricate detail, harkening back to themes seen in Renaissance art.

In Alexis Ralaivao’s ongoing exhibition at New York’s Kasmin gallery (available until August 11th), 11 oil paintings exude an ethereal charm. From a sumptuous silk scarf elegantly tied on a crisp white shirt to a delicate silver hoop earring suspended gracefully from an earlobe, Ralaivao’s fascination with tonal contrasts, transparency, and light is evident. He draws inspiration from Old Masters’ paintings, particularly their attention to intricate details.

Ralaivao’s intimate, close-up approach emerged during a summer internship at a museum, where he collected postcards. One featuring a close-up of an eye from an Old Master’s painting left a lasting impression. “The original painting had a lot of elements in it, but just the eye was enough,” Ralaivao recalled. He believes this close-up perspective reflects our information-saturated era, offering a sense of tranquility amidst the visual overload.

While Ralaivao’s paintings exude calmness, they also harbor deeper explorations. His portrayals of luxury prompt questions about consumerism and its role in society. “I am fascinated by, and at the same time repulsed by, the concept of luxury,” he admitted. The exhibition’s title, “On s’enrichit de ce que l’on donne, on s’appauvrit de ce que l’on prend” (a Victor Hugo quote translating to “We are enriched by what we give, we are impoverished by what we take”), offers a critique of quiet luxury’s flaunting of wealth.

This shared concern is echoed by a new generation of painters. Depictions of quiet luxury transcend mere object representation, delving into the significance of these markers of social status. Leonard Baby, a Brooklyn-based artist, delves into materialism and capitalism in his work. “I find humor in that dichotomy, though. So, my paintings are a critique on mid-century luxury and consumerism, but they’re also a love letter to it,” he said.

Baby’s detailed scenes capture seemingly ordinary moments, imbued with drama and the luxurious movement of fabrics against anonymous forms. The opulence of cocktail glasses, caviar, and formal table settings evokes decadence and refinement. “I wouldn’t say seduction is something I ever set out to depict, but I think the manifestation of the pure bliss I feel while I’m painting is what comes through and reads as sexy,” Baby explained.

Caroline Zurmely’s work is also steeped in quiet luxury, influenced by advertising. Over the past two years, she has used nail polish to paint images of handbags, hairstyles, and textiles, pulling them out of their original contexts to explore their timeless essence. The resulting textured surfaces catch light, transitioning from matte to glossy.

Zurmely’s take on quiet luxury implicates the act of painting in consumerist desire. “I like the idea of comparing them to ads,” she said. “It’s funny because I guess all artwork is trying to sell something.”

Indeed, quiet luxury’s influence goes beyond aesthetics, delving into a more insidious, subtle power. Fashion, style, and design have historically conveyed authority and control, and the more discreet these displays of status become, the more complex their implications. While touted as a tasteful way to exhibit wealth, quiet luxury remains tied to notions of access, affordability, and value. Amidst impending economic challenges, these objects come to symbolize societal issues.

Sydney-based painter Mia Middleton, represented by COMA, paints familiar fabrics and clothing with a soft brushstroke, evoking class, politics, taste, and desire. Her minimalist approach reflects the human tendency to simplify in the face of complexity. Each body of work begins with a fragment of narrative, person, memory, or dream, delving into the enigmatic.

While these quiet luxury paintings initially gratify, their portrayal on canvas and subsequent exhibition removes their inconspicuousness. They place opulent objects and their promises of comfort, belonging, and social acceptance under scrutiny, reflecting contemporary consumerism’s inner workings. Both viewer and painter are complicit in this system of desire creation, and luxury, despite its exclusivity, hides in plain sight.