In conversation with Colour Symphony – you are invited!

I am happy to announce that my work “Change of plans” have been selected to be part of this exciting group exhibition at the Jan Rupert Art Centre in Graaff-Reinet!

CHANGE OF PLANS

In response to the work by Michele Nigrini, I present to you a floral bouquet which consists out of individual flowers and objects (raging from a self-portrait as baby, to a portrait of my mother on her wedding day as well as a skull and the cosmos in the bust of a pregnant figure) embroidered in cotton and acrylic thread onto discarded inner tubes (rubber). These embroideries are then arranged and assembled into a bouquet.

Like Nigrini I was first and foremost inspired by toys and incorporated that for a long time in my art making, it is only much later that I turned my focus to botanicals. That is why I really responded to this quote found on your website:

Remember that a picture – before being a warhorse, a nude woman, or some anecdote – is essentially a plane surface covered with colours assembled in a certain order – Maurice Denis

And that is exactly what happened, the re-arrangement of embroidered to resemble order.

You will also notice that I often incorporate skulls or bones in my work, since they often have a moral purpose, and symbolize mortality and ephemerality and reminds us of the fleeting pleasures of life. Skulls also represent inner contemplation, eternity and life.

Flowers have not been a favourite subject matter for me until I realized the possibility of their meaning and because they reflect my interest in science and the natural world especially during this time of the pandemic. The title of the work refers to us being able to adapt to sudden changes and that it is okay to have a ‘Change of plan(s)”

The work depicts moments in time – capturing instances in which a non-traditional medium (in this case rubber) undergo a violent process of change. The juxtaposition of delicate cotton thread with industrial discarded inner tubes are highlighted by embroidering items that can decay, such as flowers and flesh, with moments of violent disruption. The resulting organized chaos resembles our daily lives and external influences.

detail of Colour Sympony by Michele Nigrini

“A change of plans” along with others will be in conversation with “Colour Sympony by Michele Nigrini: You can read more about it here:

Colour Symphony

Huisgenoot, Hartgenoot, Kultuurgenoot – 100jaar

Art portfolio- my work

The annual KKNK (Klein Karoo National Arts Festival) came to an end yesterday. I was fortunate to be included in a group exhibition during this years festival.

The exhibition was called: “Huisgenoot, Hargenoot, Kultuurgenoot – 100 jaar” curated by Sandra Hanekom. With this exhibition the “Huisgenoot” was celebrated for bringing stories to South Africans for the past 100 years and artists were invited to re-interpret the art of South African Masters that used to feature in the Huisgenoot in the past.

I was given the artist Maggie Laubser to revisit. I chose this iconic Self-portrait by her:

Self-Portrait by Maggie Laubser 1928

Met Rubber en gare herbesoek Hannalie Taute die ou Suid-Afrikaanse meester, Maggie Laubser se werk. Sy put inspirasie uit Maggie Laubser se selfportret van 1928. Nou, 88 jaar later probeer Taute om haar eie self-portret te borduur met kleur gare wat min of meer ooreenstem met die kleure wat Maggie Laubser in haar eie skildery gebruik het. Hiermee probeer sy nie net om die meester na te boots nie, maar ook om haarself te vervorm tot die eksotiese blik van die ‘ander’- om na haarself te kyk deur die oë van Maggie Laubser, en om ŉ “gevoel” te kry oor hoe die meester haarself met kleur gesien het en te vra….”wat het ek en Maggie in gemeen?”

work in progress

So the biggest challenge was to try and re-create my Self-portrait with the same colours that Maggie used in hers, but instead of oils, I used thread. Sitting in the same position. Wondering what do we really have in common? I did realise that it is much harder to try and “be” someone else than I thought.

Self-portrait after Maggie Laubser 2016 (cotton thread and rubber)

on being painted….

Studio news/blog

I had a terrible self-image when I was a teenager. I used to hate my big bulky fore-head. When I rode my bicycle to school I tilted my head so that the wind blew my hair over my face. I used copious amounts of hairspray to keep my fringe in place for fear of exposing my bulky fore-head. No matter what my mom or others told me (for example that a big forehead is a sign of wisdom, blah blah blah) I didn’t believe them.

I always wore a fringe, up until my oldest son was born. I didn’t have the time or energy to tend to a hairstyle with a baby in tow. 5 Years ago I shaved my hair and wore my big bulky fore-head with pride.

A couple of days ago an artist friend of mine let me know that she is painting my portrait:

A portrait of me painted by Vanessa Berlein

I feel honored being painted by her! I admire her skill, technique and talent! check out her blog here for more amazing work by Vanessa Berlein!

I also feel kinda weird (self-conscious) being ‘watched’ and so closely examined in order to be painted by her.

And I feel super strange seeing that big bulky fore-head again! (Its different seeing yourself in a mirror than seeing yourself through the eyes of someone else).

I cannot help but wonder how others eg: Mona Lisa felt after seeing the painted version of themselves?!

Suddenly I am thinking about a snippet of this ‘story’ from the book= “Possessing the secret of joy, by Alice Walker”:

….”Days went by when the only voice she heard was her inner one.

Soon, she began to listen to it.

Lara, it said, sit here, where the sun may kiss you. And she did.

Lara, it said , lie here, where the moon can make love to you all night long. And she did.

Lara, it said, one bright morning when she knew herself to have been well kissed and well loved: sit here on this stone and look at your beautiful self in the still waters of this stream.

Calmed by the guidance offered by her inner voice, Lara sat down on the stone and leaned over the water. She took in her smooth, aubergine little snout, her delicate, pointed ears, her sleek, gleaming black fur. She was beautiful! And she was well kissed by the sun and well made love to by the moon.

For one whole day, Lara was content. When her co-wife asked her fearfully why she was smiling, Lara only opened her mouth wider, in a grin. The poor co-wife ran trembling off and found their husband, Baba, and dragged him back to look at Lara. When Baba saw the smiling, well kissed, well made love to Lara, of course he could hardly wait to get his paws on her! He could tell she was in love with someone else, and this aroused all his passion.

While Lala wept, Baba possessed Lara, who was looking over his shoulder at the moon. Each day it seemed to Lara that the Lara in the stream was the only Lara worth having – so beautiful, so well kissed, and so well made love to. And her inner voice assured her this was true.

So, one hot day when she could not tolerate the shrieks and groans of Baba and Lala as they tried to tear each other’s ears off because of her, Lara, who by now was quite indifferent to them both, leaned over and kissed her own serene reflection in the water, and held the kiss all the way to the bottom of the stream.”

Anyway,

Check out some more amazing portraits here!