Malaiwan Plant # 1
|
 |
Artist’s Statement
My paintings highlight what is often overlooked or under-appreciated. Through a riotous rendering of plants in all of their states of being – including dried up, burnt out plant carcasses – I cannot possibly depict these vital, awe-inspiring structures in small, less significant terms. My bold, magnified representations of these life forms present the viewer with a challenge: to consider the potential that surrounds us with eyes wide open. The microcosm depicts the plant form in its essential truth; each work becomes a landscape in its own right. I am drawn towards the predominantly indigenous South African plant forms, and the strength and potency that they hold.
Each artwork taps into the coexistence and interdependence of nature’s male and female forces. Reflected in my lifestyle, of which the Yoga discipline is a significant part, I explore the balance that is reached through these contrasting forces. Each yoga posture, in order to arrive at a point of equilibrium, must rely on the inter-relationship of these two forces. In the same way, each plant holds within it, this subtle tension, in order to be rooted within a perfectly balanced structure. My paintings are explorations of this unique, underlying energy which each plant has to offer, celebrating these male and female counterparts that both oppose and harmonise with one another. My holistic experience has finely tuned my intuitive processes and this results in creations that sensitively align with each plant’s individual rhythm.
This series of paintings expose South African plant forms and, by doing so, reveal its indigenous people and rich cultural heritage. The work evokes the notion as to where we come from and where we belong. The title of each work favours local or ‘volksmond’ (folklore) nomenclature. Each plant form has an associated narrative that provides a portal of entry into a particular ethnic group’s traditional way of life. Some narratives tell a story, divulging the identity and beliefs of that group. Others reference functional and medicinal applications. This information, for the most part, had to be sourced through direct contact with sangomas, Bushmen and people who are deeply connected to the land. Rooted within oral tradition, these stories can be easily lost, which is why sharing them is so significant.
In the same way that nature’s smaller entities form an integral part of its whole, the ethnic variety of the South African population is an inspiring example of individual communities contributing to the collective. In the second decade of our democracy, our appreciation of our heritage has become far more inclusive. Our history, both painful and inspiring in its complexities, is the shared basis for our future. My work creates an awareness of local communities, inspiring acceptance and inclusivity of South Africa's cultural diversity.
As living beings, we inherently belong to our environment. Presenting the plant forms with an anthropological connection suggests that, as South African born individuals, we belong to our cultural environment. We are rooted in our land which, in turn, is fundamentally rooted in us. In isolating my imagery from its surrounding landscape, my work celebrates what South Africa’s natural world has to offer, revealing a dynamic moment in a plant’s life. This ‘moment’ gives us pause. In this pause we are all connected to where we come from.
|
