THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

A new body of work by Lee-Ann Ormandy-Becker AITY Gallery, Franshhoek artintheyard.co.za

Lee-Ann Ormandy-Becker, a native of Mbabane, Swaziland, was born in 1962 and moved to South Africa with her family when she was two years old. She currently resides in Rooiels, where she devotes her full-time efforts to her artistic pursuits in her studio.

Following her year as a Rotary Exchange Student in the United States, Lee-Ann began her artistic education by enrolling in the Fine Arts Diploma program at Natal Technicon; Although she did not complete the course, she subsequently completed one year of study at UNISA. Lee-Ann held her first solo exhibition at NSA Gallery in 1997 and has participated in several group exhibitions over the years. Her painting was chosen for the Brett Kebble 2004 exhibition, and she received a Merit Award from CSA Western Cape for her ceramics in 2019.

Lee-Ann’s artistic process involves working with both clay and oil paint, both of which reflect her fascination with texture and tactility. Her artistic statement reveals a strong emphasis on the subconscious, memory, dreams, mythology, and emotion. She strives to use paint as a tool to create poetry and convey her artistic vision, while clay serves as a medium for the expression of her subconscious thoughts and emotions.

Her work is heavily influenced by the surrounding environment of her studio, specifically the fynbos and the sea. Lee-Ann’s ceramics reflect her appreciation of nature’s imperfections and the constant evolution of life and death, while her paintings showcase her desire to reveal the hidden influences that impact our lives.

Ormandy-Becker’s recent collection for her solo show “Through the Looking Glass” is a captivating and multifaceted one that operates on various levels to elicit an array of responses from viewers. On one level, the title suggests a world that is inverted and alien, where things that were once familiar become strange and unfamiliar. This theme is one that resonates deeply with Lee-Ann OrmandyBecker’s artistic approach, particularly her exploration of the subconscious mind. In this realm, thoughts and feelings can take on different forms and be expressed in ways that are unconventional and unexpected. The subconscious can be a place of paradox, where contradictions coexist, and meaning is elusive. Lee-Ann’s desire to explore this terrain is evident in her artwork, where she delves into the surreal, the illogical, and the wondrous. By encouraging viewers to join her on this journey, Lee-Ann invites us to suspend our assumptions and explore the hidden depths of our minds. Through her art, she challenges us to look beyond the surface and embrace the unexpected and the mysterious, opening up new avenues of perception and understanding.

Join us for the opening of our upcoming exhibition on Saturday, March 11th, 2023 at 11 am at AITY GALLERY | Franschhoek.

The event will feature an introduction by the esteemed Professor Gregory Kerr, adding a deeper level of insight and meaning to the already captivating works of art on display.

Art, antiques, objets d’art, furniture, and jewellery wanted for forthcoming auctions