When I finished my printmaking course at the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg, and wondering what my next move would be, I asked myself, “Where do I start?” Then I realized that nothing was to be started, but well, to be continued.
Feeling empowered by the privilege of having learned, successfully, the printmaking techniques that Artist Proof Studio offers, I decided first to build a body of works, that would successfully document my life; that was the moment when I decided to take a further step in my full time artist career, and to commit myself to the fulfillment of the project (the construction of the body of works – Fragments). In the beginning I was not sure where to start, this was until I picked up the word ‘fragments’ during my brainstorming. This word came to shape up the entire vision.
I then had the idea to travel to the coast; St. France’s Bay and Jeffrey’ Bay, the Eastern Cape tourist mecca for the December holidays, and try to sell some art works – I had relatives living in Humansdorp, 20min from Jeffrey’s Bay and St. France’s Bay where I have been before. I saw that it could be possible to sell something.
In my first attempt to be part of the art fair in St. France’s Bay, I met a fellow artist, art teacher and mentor Alecia Chaput, who became my mentor and helper. Alecia made her studio available for me to produce this body of works.
Now flourishing with encouragement from my fellow artist, teacher and mentor, “Fragments” began her journey. Painting has been my favorite thing since the beginning of my art career, without neglecting the excitement I found in printmaking, but as I said, “Fragments” was to depict instances of my life, my journey, and the best way to do this was to navigate through all the instances and engage almost all the techniques I had learned so far.
My personal life has been marked by endless sacrifices; the most painful was, going to a foreign country, and being separated from my mother and four brothers who look to me as their elder brother. I sometimes felt isolated, even in the comfort of friends or colleges. This aspect you will also find depicted in my works.
I found myself sometimes wearing a mask, in order to shield myself, but I don’t think my character ever changed; I believe my personal journey, is reflected in this body of works.
The girl and the carousel | Mixed medium on Canvas
I have got moments of boldness, faith, courage, doubt, weakness, madness, stupidity, peace, nostalgia, etc. And these moments or aspects flow in the colours, lines, shapes, subject placement, and even in the main subject of the painting or drawing. So, I am happy that I can call each one of these aspects and instances, a ‘fragment’.
In most of my works there is a strong presence of female figures. For me, the female figure depicts my struggle; the delicacy and beauty of my journey. I also find in the female figure metaphors, to depict my emotions, strength, weakness, wisdom, humor etc.
I enjoy abstraction, which features quite prominently in my work; is this perhaps my mask? I don’t know…the abstraction seems just to happen!
I feel that the “Fragments” is just beginning. There is a lot left. Of course, it’s a journey.
Fragments Gallery
Dreams and Shadows
In this particular series entitled, Dreams and Shadows I talk about my personal life, how dramatic sometimes it turned – moments of evasive fear, nostalgia, uncertainty, yet with a deemed light surfacing from the depth of the tunnel
“Saudades”
“Saudade (A Portuguese and Galician word that has no direct translation into English) was once described as “the love that remains” after someone is gone. Saudade is the recollection of feelings, experiences, places or events that once brought excitement, pleasure, well-being, which now triggers the senses and makes one live again.
Under the Moonlight
Our nights were odd, as the electricity (one provided by a local public generator) went off after 8pm or 9pm, our light for the rest of the night was provided by the moon, the days that it came to into play. Some days it was intense and other days it was weak and sometimes off season…