Rust-en-Vrede Gallery in Durbanville proudly hosts three new solo exhibitions by Anina Deetlefs, Bastiaan van Stenis and Ydi Coetsee.
- Anina Deetlefs presents a series of portraits titled SKIN
- Bastiaan van Stenis presents a new body of work titled “Night Time is the Right Time”
- Ydi Coetsee exhibits “Bly / Stay”
Salon A – Anina Deetlefs
In Salon A, Anina Deetlefs presents a series of portraits titled SKIN.
Deetlefs has found her niche in large scale portrait studies which she approaches with meticulous detail and a delicate sensitivity – an approach which earned her a merited Top 100 spot in the Sanlam Portrait Award 2017 competition. Deetlef’s new body of work, revolves around the concept of layers and is a continuation of the theme which she explored in her competition entry.
Anina Deetlefs – Self Portrait (detail)
Deetlefs delves into the complex dichotomy of skin, regarding it as a shell – both internally and externally. It is the barrier protecting the true individual, yet leaving him/her bare to scrutiny by others. Only by peeling away the various layers one will meet the soul that resides within.
The mixed media technique Deetlefs applies to the canvas strongly contributes to the idea of the individual as multi layered, not only in a physical sense, but in a mental and spiritual capacity as well. Certain areas are left completely bare except for a couple of lightly drawn lines on an unpainted canvas, to areas that consist of layers of thinly applied oil, creating a literal equivalent to the metaphorical transparency Deetlefs reflects on in her subject matter.
Salon B – Bastiaan van Stenis
In Salon B, Bastiaan van Stenis presents a new body of work titled “Night Time is the Right Time”. (see intro image, above)
Bastiaan, of half Dutch, half South African descent, grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. Bastiaan is primarily a self-taught artist but at a young age he received private art tutoring and Guidance. After his schooling in 2000, Bastiaan then began to fully dedicate himself to painting and commenced exhibiting his work, an endeavour that he continues to this day. In his own words, “What drives me is the process, the creating, and the creation itself is just another stop on the way. His paintings are expressed using a diverse range of tools and mediums including paint, cloth, encaustic wax, hair, glues and collage. His other projects include taxidermy and sculpture.
Bastiaan’s work is identifiable through his unique use of colour and texture, the artist provides audiences with a reflexive view of the world. His is an oeuvre that compels us to look and look again as he contradicts distinct, yet inextricably linked subjects through a montage of techniques and sound draughtsmanship.
In ‘Night Time is the Right Time’, Bastiaan van Stenis continues to bend our minds and exhibits the contradictions inherent in the everyday. His works are monuments that oscillate between the quiet composure of nature and the chaos of human internal conflicts. Through juxtaposition of subject and media, van Stenis calls on the beauty of the un-answerability of larger existential questions. Van Stenis has developed his style through years of practice and has exhibited both locally and abroad in Europe. Van Stenis grew up with art as an essential tool in his dialogue with the world. He began his career at age 19 and was soon recognized by local art critics and collectors as one of the most promising contemporary artists.
Salon C – Ydi Coetsee
In Salon C, Ydi Coetsee exhibits “Bly / Stay”, a nostalgic and pensive take on interior painting. Coetsee believes that interiors have the potential of being both still lives and “portraits”, relying on objects to accentuate a person, an encounter or a narrative moment.
Ydi Coetsee – Sondagskool
Rooms, passages, halls and the objects inside them speak to the viewer because they are ordinary and recognisable. Yet these familiar interior objects also have the ability to alienate the viewer, underlying their “otherness” in indeterminate ways. In some of the works the interiors are empty and long for companionship, urging the viewer to ‘stay’ and reflect, whilst in others the interior summons the viewer to an already cheerful space. The tension in these images – between hospitality and hostility – is a theme Coetsee is only starting to explore, but that she hopes will stir something in the viewer’s own memories, acting as catharsis and compelling them towards self-reflection.
WHERE: Rust-en-Vrede Gallery 10 Wellington Rd, Durbanville, Cape Town, 7550
WHEN: All three exhibitions will open on Tuesday, 20 March at 19h00 and will continue during gallery hours until 2 May.
Gallery Hours: Weekdays : 9h00 until 16h00; Saturdays: 9h00 until 13h00; Closed on Sundays.
INFO: T 021 976 4691 or visit.
