Ant Hamlyn’s Vibrant, Smushed Still Lifes Preserve the Impermanent
“Chandelier.” All images courtesy of the artist and Moosey
Ant Hamlyn’s Vibrant, Smushed Still Lifes Preserve the Impermanent
October 9, 2025
Art
Kate Mothes
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Known for his squishy flowers and foliage made of polyurethane-coated fabrics, often encased-slash-smushed behind panels of clear acrylic, Ant Hamlyn has a sense of humor when it comes to art history.
Nodding to genres in Western art like vanitas still-life paintings, he creates textile reliefs that tap into our contemporary condition. From fast food to houseplants to a vibrant bar cart, his compositions playfully explore themes of indulgence, impermanence, beauty, and the quotidian.
“Greasy Spoon”
Until recently, Hamlyn has focused predominantly on cartoonish botanicals, and he now delves further into the still-life genre. Works like “Greasy Spoon,” “Shelf Life,” and “Drive-Thru” incorporate motifs of food and trendy home decor evocative of quirky snapshots one might see on Instagram, with people just out of frame.
The works seen here were recently presented by Moosey, and you can find more of Hamlyn’s work on his website and Instagram.
“Potwash (I Ought to Give You a Lesson in How to Clean Tables, Boy!”
“Drive-Thru”
“Berry and Rye”
“Shelf Life”
“Soft Vanitas”
“Megadeal”
“Houseplant”
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