The work of Stief DeSmet is characterized by recognizable symbols, both iconographically charged and neutral. He guides us through the realm of ancient and contemporary myths, icons, and idols, into a world of fairy tales, fables, dreams, and hallucinations.

Creating images that transport us to idyllic environments, he plays with the templates and clichés of our imagination, "cutting" them from old prints, books, (animated) films, gift wrap, or newspapers, and "pasting" them into paintings or sculptures.