Whether it’s time to rally a community or motivate solitary meditation, art can evoke engagement and excite society. In a country where we’re only now beginning to understand one another, art can be a helpful tool to bridge the gap.
10 Emerging Female Artists have been shortlisted for the State of The ART Gallery Award 2018, and we feel privileged to gush about our South African talent. These artists work across a variety of mediums and have creative narratives unique to their style. The finalists explore themes of identity, the physical body, our shared South African history, and the wonder of the natural world. Find out more about the State of the ART Gallery Award here.
Here are the 10 finalists and a peek of their artwork on exhibit at the State of the Art Gallery this September!
Jo Roets
Delicate and precise – this is the essence of Jo Roets’ work. She is interested in the perfect geometric patterns of nature and symbols derived from traditional South African cultures. The selected artworks on exhibit are part of her paper-thin light relief sculptures inspired by historical shapes like crocheted doilies and Ndebele designs. To Jo Roets, botanical elements can instil calmness in its viewer. Roets is driven to create a connection between culturally different people in her work.
Janna Prinsloo
Fascinated with the inner world of individuals, Janna Prinsloo aims to “represent hidden truths and personal, internal realities”. Inspired by walks in nature, Janna believes that art can speak, and she hopes to be a positive and uplifting voice.
Anna-Carien Goosen
Moving between realism and abstraction, the work of Anna-Carien Goosen has a sublime surrealistic point of view. Through the habit of people-watching, Goosen is inspired to create artwork that captures the complexity and constant movement of the world.
Nadine Hansen
Motivated by emotion and philosophy, the work of Nadine Hansen is influenced by meaningful encounters in her studio. The human existence and its situational essence make up the core of her work, with conceptual self-portraits being frequently featured. Nature’s brilliance often complements Hansen’s primary subject as she has “discovered many natural wildlife traits which reflect the human psyche”.
Lezanne Kotze
Forever exploring her creative boundaries, Lezanne Kotze aims to gain insight into her artistic narrative while creating art that is engaging. Kotze plays with the juxtaposition of organic and geometric forms in her work with the indigenous flora of the Western Cape as her muse. Oil paint is her favourite medium; its long drying time allows her the freedom to evolve her paintings.
Adele van Heerden
Described as a “confrontation with the past”, the work of Adele van Heerden is a highly personal response to social, political and historical events. Soft florals and light-hearted toy-soldiers are contrasted to controversial South African monuments. Van Heerden hopes to encourage thought and discussion through her work.
Anina Deetlefs
Moving from a fashion and interior design background, Anina Deetlefs finds inspiration in her loved ones. Deconstructed in aesthetic, Deetlefs’ Skin-series represents a stage in her own life; that of home renovation and uncovering the true essence of self.
Lebogang Mabusela
Sculptor and paper artist, Lebogang Mabusela, works to reclaim and re-imagine South Africa’s traditional visual culture and heritage. Aiming to challenge conceptions around womanhood and femininity, Mabusela creates thought-evoking pieces by using doilies. Doilies as the symbol of femininity in Mabusela’s art tell the story of African feminism.
Tina Teles
Women’s struggles and the human mind are what motivate Tina Teles to create. Sonder is a word that drives Teles; it relates to the “realisation that every passer-by lives life as vivid and complex as your own”. This principle makes her work intrinsically individual. Teles places emphasis on women that are in South Africa due to the African Diaspora.
Chloe Obermeyer
A lover of the natural world, Chloe Obermeyer combines her fascination of cyanotype with other mediums to create oceanic scenes. Southern African oceans and coastlines make up her subject matter as Obermeyer circumnavigates scientific discovery and concern.
Read more about these ten fascinating ladies on the State of the Art Gallery website and follow their journey to the Award.
Join the event online and visit the Gallery this September!
When: 6 – 22 September 2018.
Where: 50 Buitenkant Street, Cnr Roeland & Buitenkant Street, Cape Town.
Gallery hours: 10 – 5 Mon to Friday, 10 – 2 Saturdays or by appointment
