‘Verwagtinge / Expectations’ Showcases At The Gallery

The Gallery’ at Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate, Franschhoek, national winner for ‘Art and Culture’ at the 2011 Best Of Wine Tourism Awards, proudly showcases an exhibition of new artwork by leading artist, MJ Lourens, running from Sunday, 20 February 2011 at 11h00 until Wednesday 23, March 2011. The exhibition will be opened by renowned South African artist and intellectual, Brahm van Zyl.  

This exhibition will include landscape paintings and a series of bronze sculptures. The combination of the figurative sculptures and landscapes enforce the tension between nature and the intention of mankind.

The landscapes are greatly inspired by Highveld scenes, although fictitious in nature, they establish the background to various familiar contemporary structures. The works reflect a time of day, just before sunset, which as a result creates a romantic yet surreal nature.

The sculptures are grounded in the human figure with themes relating to the ocean. The aquatic aspect references strongly to the subconscious and the addition of suggestive symbolic elements support the theme to create a haunting outcome.

Henning Ludeke explores dissociation caused by Virtual Spaces. Within the context of consumerism, Henning tries to find ways of transposing online commercial media into tangible, tactile spaces. He collages images from virtual shoe stores which he refers to as an ‘Unnatural Selection’ into organic forms that resemble butterflies. The digital prints that result from this evolutionary process, remind us to re-integrate our online experiences with everyday life. ‘Unnatural Selection’ will be showcased in the ‘Project Room’ at The Gallery.

The work by Jean Dreyer investigates immanence and the intensities of freedom experienced between body and landscape when the constraints of distance are erased. Her exploration inspire the painted wood carvings which she creates to indicate the connection between land and body, supporting her conviction that separation from the land instigates alienation, dissociation and landlessness.  A selection of her work, themed ‘to free the distance between’ can be viewed in ‘The Shop’.

For further information on The Gallery at Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate, contact gallery@grandeprovence.co.za. For a preview, please call The Gallery on +27 (0)21 876 8630 to make an appointment. The Gallery is open from Monday to Sunday, from 10h00 till 18h00.

www.grandeprovence.co.za