Sifiso Temba - ‘Sgubhu’ 2022
Simon Venter - ‘Refractions’ 2022
Tanja Truscott - ‘Storage’ 2022
/ˈwɔːtə(r)
(phonetic script for water)
2022 Nando’s Creative Exchange
24.11.22 - 12.01.23
In recent history, water has moved to the forefront of our consciousness; we have become hyper-aware of how life-essential it is. Water has become a hotly contested political issue that sees differing ideologies at war; while one country finds itself underwater another is experiencing extreme drought.
Water has power in our daily lives; it has life-giving and destructive qualities at the same time. It sits supreme in ancient historical narratives and current affairs. It can hold spiritual significance and can create social boundaries. It can nurture or destroy; it can cleanse and submerge; it can dampen and heighten the senses. Water’s nature of fluidity is complex and its movement suggests constant change. Without it, we would not exist.
In this exhibition, which is the culmination of the 2022 Nando’s Creative Exchange programme, four artists – Velile Soha, Sifiso Temba, Tanja Truscott and Simon Venter – investigate their personal relationship with water.
“My practice is grounded in reality,” says Soha. “It is the reality of life in urban townships and poor rural communities that can be harsh but poignant and jubilant at the same time. My artwork is colourful and vibrant, filled with real people and real situations, including our relationship with water daily – either with no or little access to water or, in Cape Town winters, flooding from an excess of water. Anyone who has lived in a township will recognise the landscapes and characters that dominate my work, perhaps because I truly depict what I know. My paintings and prints have a comfortable, natural feel to them.”
Temba believes that water has an essential role in healing the mind, body and soul. “It has provided different models to humans: the source of life, the subject of purification rituals and restoration. In this body of work, I use character, emotions and colours to depict spiritual growth and enlightenment,” he says.
“I am motivated by the energy of water – the way it moves and sounds: falling, running, trickling… The energy that water has, both stored and released, informs my mark-making,” says Truscott. “Using different tools and media I work quickly and intuitively, layering lines, colours and shapes. At a certain stage, the painting takes on a life of its own. It suggests a direction and I try to follow it. I never know where the painting will end up and it is this aspect that I love. The process intrigues me. It keeps me on my toes. I am naturally curious and the way I work suits me – I don’t know or want to know what will happen next.”
Venter says his work draws on the duality found in water: “I try to explore that theme. Most notably, in the last supper inspired piece, I use two images of one person in a way which asks the viewer to consider what it means to be true to oneself; a question of renewal and change,” he says. “Each work is a departure from water and questions what it takes to make decisions in one’s life, which alters our course, hopefully for the good.”
Velile Soha - ‘Question of Style’ 2022