New exhibition explores the theme of ‘broken’

‘Broken’ is the title of a new exhibition that opens this Friday, 1 November at Rossouw Modern Art Gallery, featuring works by Cape Town-based artist, Juanita Oosthuizen.

Being broken is a concept we are all familiar with. In her art works Juanita explores this theme and the opportunities it affords to creatively mend or adjust fragmentation; as in the Japanese art form of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is mended with gold to elevate it to the next level of beauty, by treating the breakage as part of the history of the object.

Juanita is inspired to come up with creative ways to incorporate miniature figurines into her art works, placing them in carefully planned scenarios to fit the theme of ‘broken’, as well as the healing, restitution and aftermath of such an action. Torn paper can be the cornerstone of a new insight in design, and an unfinished puzzle the yearning for and possibility of perfection.

She works mostly in black, white and grey, sometimes introducing a smattering of colour to surprise. When she composes a piece, she feel herself instinctively drawn to depict something surreal, wistful, pensive and sometimes playful.

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