There have been many instances where I have found myself sitting on the floor of the studio head in hands. A long way to go technically and philosophically but these canvases do hint at something and I am excited about the possibilities.
The aim now, post exhibition, is to move away from the more personal myth and work with more collective issues. Humanity and it's myths, collective dreams.
Below some images and artist statement from this exhibition at artSPACE Durban
Personal Myth, Collective Dream 2
Artist Statement
I have become increasingly curious by the depth of
wisdom myths and dreams have to offer us as individuals and fellow journeyers
in life. As well as the collective myths that speak of the human journey and
condition each of us has a personal myth that shows itself to us through our
dreams. This force drives us and further reveals itself through the patterns in
our lives, choices we make, the stories we are drawn to and images we work
with. Our myth impacts our everyday lives and influences who we are and how we
behave.
When we become aware of our mythology, both on a
personal and a collective level, through a journey into the psyche we gain the
opportunity of facing and changing our story. Each part of the journey brings
us a step closer to individuation which, in Jungian terms, is a transforming
process where the personal and collective unconscious are integrated into
consciousness.
One of the ways I explore and endeavour to express
this concept is through my artwork
The paintings on show in this exhibition will form
part of the final body of work that I will be presenting at the completion of
my masters at The Centre for Visual Arts UKZN at the end of the first semester
2016, and the spring board for a PhD proposal in practise led research in Fine
Art.
In my last exhibition I described the mythical forest
in my oil paintings. Terri Windling, a writer, artist and book editor for the
New York Publishing Industry describes this forest as “...the forest
primeval, true wilderness, symbolic of the deep, dark levels of the psyche...”
In this exhibition I am moving from the forest into the house symbolising
a deeper exploration of the psyche. Each painting represents a room in the
house or a part thereof in which the characters and backdrops emerge from my
own personal myth.
Technically each painting has been a journey in its own right. I have consciously left behind much of what I have known and endeavoured to find a new way of approaching my work. As in the forest, one of the challenges is to leave the well trodden path and find a new fresh way through.
I am very fortunate
to study with and live among a community of very generous
artists who, also on journeys of their own, offer guidance, support and
suggestions and share skills along the way. Thank you
