NWU Rinus van Niekerk: Echoes of the Northwind

NWU GALLERY Rinus van Niekerk - Echoes of the Northwind Banele Khoza – Seeking Love services.nwu.ac.za/nwu-gallery

Echoes of the Northwind presents work by young artist Rinus van Niekerk. Originally self-taught, van Niekerk is the only South African artists to have apprenticed with the Norwegian Master Odd Nerdrum. His predominant inspiration comes from the old Masters, specifically the later works of Titian and Rembrandt. The narratives which inspire him have often been forgotten and neglected by modern historians and the contemporary art world.

Using the same traditional studio practices from the sixteenth century, as taught by Nerdrum, his work involves stretching his own canvases by hand and preparing them with recipes found in old manuscripts from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

This exhibition showcases works created over the last three years, following van Niekerk first stay at the Nerdrum school in Norway (2017) and his training at the Orieto workshop with Vincent Desiderio and Bernardo Siciliano in Italy (2018).

Exhibition runs from 1 - 29 November 2019, NWU Botanical Garden, Monday – Friday, 09:30-16:00.

Above: Rinus van Niekerk, Silence and Solitude. 1,5m x 1,3m. Left: Rinus van Niekerk, The city of light. 1,8m x1,65

Banele Khoza, Projecting myself

Banele Khoza, Behind closed doors Opposite Page: Banele Khoza, Sikiti

“Love is a desire we all share; however, a lot of people will not admit that they are seeking a loving relationship. I love the idea of love and do wish for romantic love. I guess honesty is what I am also putting forward for people to be in better relationships with themselves and others,”

Banele Khoza – Seeking Love “This exhibition is an open love letter to whoever is watching or reading my work – also to God/All/The universe. I am confessing that I am ready, and I am letting go of the search,” says Khoza. “Beginning the body of work was a little hard to be honest, especially having created a body of work in 2017-18 that ended up being showcased in institutions that I did not imagine would happen in my lifetime. However, I had to ground myself in everyday practice.”

That meant bringing in his muses from the past and newly encountered ones: Lehlonolo Ramathe, Lerato Masters, Francis Buseko and Sandile Mhlongo. They sat for different pieces over a period of 4 months and became the foundation of his ideas and inspiration.

The finished collection of works reflects that inspiration but also the complex nature of love, how important it is to acknowledge the heart’s desires and also to learn self-love – which he wants people to walk away from the exhibition thinking about.

“Love is a desire we all share; however, a lot of people will not admit that they are seeking a loving relationship. I love the idea of love and do wish for romantic love. I guess honesty is what I am also putting forward for people to be in better relationships with themselves and others,” he says.

Exhibition runs from 1 - 29 Nov 2019, NWU Main Gallery, Monday – Friday, 09:30-16:00.