Bare your Bones by Mariëtte Bergh: Exhibition Cataloguue

ROOM Presents

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works

by MariĂŤtte Bergh 15.03 - 14.04.2011 On the end of a candle

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 630mm x 630mm

ROOM is a new independent multi-disciplinary exhibition and project based space focused on collaboration, dialogue and exchange.

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh ABOUT THE EXHIBITION BARE YOUR BONES 'You'll bare your bones you'll grow you'll pray you'll only know When the light appears, boy, when the light appears' – extract from When The Light Appears by Allen Ginsberg ‘Bare your bones’ is an introspective collection of work exploring disenchantment during the transition from whimsical youth to responsible adulthood. Whereas some accept this transition, many resist it for a period or indefinitely, but the merciless nature of time isn’t kind to such individuals and is usually the motivation behind eventual submission. How does one ‘grow-up’ without losing the magic of a youthful spirit? The exhibition alludes specifically to the experience of the artist herself, and to that of misfits and bohemians. This body of new work by the artist includes reverse-glass paintings and a combination of reverse-glass with ink drawings on wood.

'This is coming of age? Facing that we're not like the dreams we have of ourselves? Unsure of our choices in life? Unable to ever be perfect? Even our heroes are lost and our ideas of adulthood are a fraudulent myth we've unconsciously inherited. Why not just stay in a world of infantile fantasy? Maybe forever even?' – Mike Mills Thoughts pertaining to the theme: ‘Are you ready to bare your bones? To accept that you’re mortal and that life is to be lived in a way that a sensible mortal would? To construct life as a series of practical building blocks that ultimately guarantee a cosy coffin and offspring to carry your name? Magic has not much to do with this arrangement, there simply isn’t time to spare for it.’

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh ABOUT THE EXHIBITION (cont.)

‘The child has grown, the dream is gone’ – Comfortably Numb, Pink Floyd Partial to the theme is the idea that life is often seen as invincible, free and filled with ‘magic’ until an awareness of death starts plaguing the mind – it looms like a raven waiting on one’s shoulder. It translates as an underlying fear and consequently dreams and aspirations dilute to basic survival. At that moment the child inside disappears and is replaced by a serious demeanor. On the contrary, it is possible to resist submission to such a dark reality as Dylan Thomas urges his father to do in his poem Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. To burn and rage despite the complications of a deteriorating body and a burdened mind.

Another aspect of the exhibition is on is the sudden melancholy surrounding the realization and the burden of having to make that important decision. The flood of emotion, confusion and sometimes optimism involved is the basis of what is being communicated – and the purpose is to relate to multiple persons something that is usually experienced in desolation. It requires certain wisdom to accept the responsibility to oneself that while you are now officially in charge of your destiny, it is necessary to remember that happiness in the present tense is the ultimate pursuit (which is not much different to the attitude of the carefree youth).

Illustrated are predominantly portraits engulfed in shadow, nostalgia, intricate patterns, symbolic imagery and the use of a monochrome palette. The technique used for the ink drawings permeate tension and the lack of contrast refer to the effort involved in constructing an image within the mind’s eye – as so often is the case with memories. The patterns used on the glass refer to energy, the essence of existence and its nature to vibrate, move and change in a way that has both order and chaos – a moment of experiencing life as energy is empowering as there is a realization of fluidity and motion rather than feeling inert. The patterns have a tribal quality as well that evoke a sense of mysticism. The use of wood reflects the reference to bone, as a raw natural element and symbol of mortality, whereas the glass covering it refers to the smooth veneer of spirit covering soma.

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh ABOUT THE ARTIST Born in 1982 Mari!tte Bergh lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa. She specialized in painting and sculpture at the National School of Arts, and thereafter studied at Vega, the Brand Communication School. After six years as a graphic designer and art director in magazines she decided to pursue art full-time.

What inspires her work is the her fascination of people’s behavior, human emotions, the interdependence of opposites and the mundanity of existence. Mariëtte is known for her use of fictitious characters, birds and animals to illustrate humanity and the satire of urban existence. “ Animals beautifully reflect the mundane routines that we are so caught up in. Seeing the same robin every morning in the same place, exactly the same time, or a group of pigeons that go about their business in the same city square day by day is alarmingly similar to our own daily patterns. (Birds seem to crop up most of the time at this stage) Some of the other bird types have different connotations – some lean toward being mythical or mysterious, whereas others are downright mischievous just to get their way, which is hardly a foreign concept to humans.”

In this new body of work Mariëtte takes on a more intimate look at existential subject matters that concern her yet this time reflecting on them through a semi autobiographical approach. The transition between youth and responsible adulthood, the melancholy, confusion and optimism associated with the above, mark her use of color line and medium.

To date, the artist has had 2 Solo exhibitions, has shown her work in among other places the Hout Bay Gallery and with the Creative Block Project in Cape Town and Johannesburg. She is also featured on the art blog handsomethings.com.

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh The vacant and the bored When you’re young and believe that you’re invincible, you do not fear death because you believe that it’s to far away to be a part of your reality – you associate death with the aged or the sick whereas you are young and strong.

You’re a daredevil, you laugh in the face of death and enjoy the thrill of it.

These beliefs dissipate as soon as you feel like age is getting the better of you (subject to a state of mind rather than an actual age), and along with it comes a very different attitude toward death.

The vacant and the bored

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm

R 3500.00 incl Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by MariĂŤtte Bergh See the world go wild Those who act impulsively or without premeditation, do you feel responsible for your actions? Is it that you feel like a little bird has the way of your hand and you follow regardless of the consequences?

Or is it by choice that the rational mind must not be allowed to interfere with what could potentially be a creative burst or enlightenment of some sort?

See the world go wild

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm

R 3500 incl Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

Reading Ginsberg The ‘corruption’ of the young mind through art, film and literature. At that age where you learn about what you want to become or how you want to portray yourself – identifying with a subcultural group and the loss of innocence. This is a thrilling experience as well as a deliciously dangerous one.

It may or may not lead you down a rabbit-hole of self-destruction as it leads you further and further away from the status quo and into the unknown.

Reading Ginsberg

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm R 3500 incl Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

With the light on your hair Nostalgia of youth as free and careless. Everything is still exciting and enthusiasm is high. This is juxtaposed against a dark background showing ‘reality’ as an urban street scene.

The youth strives for the independence of an adult, he/she desperately wants to drive, smoke, drink and have sex as a way of separating himself from childhood, unaware of the dull and monotonous grind of daily life. The technique used for the background expresses frustration and complication of the grind.

With the light on your hair

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 830mm x 640mm R 6980.00 incl Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh On the end of a candle Living life as invincible, free and filled with ‘magic’ until an awareness of death starts plaguing the mind – it looms like a raven waiting on one’s shoulder. It translates as an underlying fear and consequently dreams and aspirations dilute to basic survival. Once the knowledge of death envelops us we either retract in fear or it opens our eyes and gives us permission to live our dreams before the candle is out, but it requires certain wisdom to accept the responsibility to oneself that while you are now officially in charge of your destiny On the end of a candle

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 630mm x 630mm

R 5200 incl. Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

She’s all I really need The daydreamer that felt in a moment the beauty and unity of all. The intricate patterns of vibrating particles that are sometimes, in a blissful fraction of a second, experienced. The daydreamer that is obsessively in love.

The lover that is perceived to be as perfect as a god, and the admirer who’s blinded by infatuation and ready to give up everything in order to be totally devoted.

She’s all I really need

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm

R 3500 incl. Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

Someone to follow Nostalgia and the way in which a child sees and envies adults. The child wants to grow-up so that he can be like the people he looks up to, unaware of the dull and monotonous grind of daily life of adult life. Again, this is juxtaposed against a dark background showing ‘reality’ as an urban street scene.

The technique used for the background expresses frustration and complication.

Someone to follow

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 830mm x 640mm

R 6980 incl Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

The human equation

My dorsal fin

“I’ve noticed that when people are joking they’re usually dead serious, and when they’re serious, they’re usually pretty funny.” – Jim Morrison.

This image again, has a bit of fun with the contradictions in human behavior and the constant confusion. As much as someone can be classified as someone that plays it safe or someone that is impulsive and wild, a more common scenario would be a combination of the two, and the conflict that opportunities cause in the mind of such a person.

To fight against all that is dull and conservative sometimes pushes the moth closer to the flame and it actually teases death for thrills.

The crow is symbolically known as the carrier of the spirit hence its association with death. Here it is seen with a chess piece as if it’s busy with a game – it is a reference to the film “The Seventh Seal” where a man challenges Death to a game of chess and then ‘cheats Death’ by ‘accidentally’ knocking over the pieces and therefore altering someone’s fate.

The Human Equation

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm

R 3500.00 incl Vat

My Dorsal Fin

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm

R 3500.00 incl Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

You came on like a punch in the heart

Down to the marrow of my bones

Part of the ‘dark moon’ series: dark moon symbolizing new beginnings. The beautiful confusion of young love. Being free and yet forever bound to this one person. It has often been said that love hurts, and as the joys and the pain reaches deeper into your being you become more vulnerable and more dependent on this other person. It is both beautiful and sad, and we will not have it any other way.

“No one will ever know what ‘In Cold Blood’ took out of me. It scraped me right down to the marrow of my bones. It nearly killed me. I think, in a way, it did kill me.” – Truman Capote. The potential of one’s talent that can only be fulfilled when all fear is overcome, or, fear that is unknown to a mind that is too young to know it. In the case of Capote, he dared to go so close to the flame that it destroyed him, and he was consequently unable to produce anything after that.

The diamond shape here symbolizes the product of his talent, his creation, and himself in the glory of his youth.

You came on like a punch in the heart

Down to the marrow of my bones

R 4600.00 incl. Vat

R 3500.00 incl. Vat

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 630mm x 630mm

2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

A sympathetic noose Part of the ‘dark moon’ series: dark moon symbolizing new beginnings.

Portrait of my brother who fought convention and lived like a wild child, but after being diagnosed with severe bipolar, he’d been forced to adjust to a quieter way of life while also having to support his family. There is a hidden blessing in this curse and the reform is a relief to his family, but regardless there’s a hint of sadness as his wings have been clipped and the choice had been made for him.

We aim for high speed Part of the ‘dark moon’ series: dark moon symbolizing new beginnings.

Experiencing something the first time round is the most memorable - this may be controversial as it alludes to experimentation with substances. It makes you experience your body, mind and senses in completely different ways, sometimes good and sometimes bad. However, that first or second time can never be recreated, but as short-lived as it may be, it changes the way you perceive things, possibly for the rest of your life.

A sympathetic noose 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 630mm x 630mm R 4600.00 incl. Vat

We aim for high speed 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 630mm x 630mm R 5200.00 incl. Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

Now is the only time I know

With the lights out, it’s less dangerous

Solitude and the complicated mind. Much time is wasted on trying to analyze and understand things. It should rather be spent on daydreaming.

To live in the present and to experience it fully. The triangle symbolizes fire and alludes to a bright fire that is experienced within a moment. The nude girl refers to a physical experience, such as sensuality or sensitivity, which could be viewed as something primal and temporary, therefore something that by its own nature can only have presence in a moment.

Enter the dark flower of dreams and forget your pain in the arms of euphoria.

Although we have moved on to become a fairly liberal world, there is much that is still viewed as taboo. So, for someone to explore and find his own sexuality, it is still risky business and quite often the reason why we move away from parental communities in order to have a neutral domain in which to explore personal desires. Here it’s illustrated as finding a ‘safe place’ in metaphorical darkness where no-one can see.

Now is the only time I know 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm R 3200.00 incl. Vat

With the lights out, its less dangerous 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm R 3500.00 incl. Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

The things I didn’t know

Our little hearts

If you don’t get caught up in the technical detail, everything simply falls into place. Every choice, experience and mistake shapes who you are and as wrong as something may seem, it was meant to be. However at every turn is opportunity to change direction and the overwhelming amount of choice makes ‘meant to be’ seem impossible, either way forward motion creates a structure in which ‘wrong’ has little meaning.

‘May god have mercy on our dirty little hearts’ – the youth are not concerned with high moral standards as they fight against all that is dull and conservative in order to ‘feel alive’. The serpent, as a symbol of sexuality, is about temptation. Although we have moved on to become a fairly liberal world, there is much that is still viewed as taboo. So, for someone to explore and find his own sexuality, it is still risky business and quite often the reason why we move away from parental communities in order to have a neutral domain in which to explore personal desires.

The things i didn't know 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm R 3200.00 incl. Vat

Our little hearts 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm R 3200.00 incl. Vat

BARE YOUR BONES: An exhibition of works by Mariëtte Bergh

Floodlight of the moon

We can have some more

An intricate pattern of energy woven upon death set against a poem (Howl, by Allen Ginsberg) about self-destruction within the wild Beat generation. This artwork illustrates an aspect of the Beat generation as described in 1955 which can easily be identified with in present times, and that what is described is a universal and timeless aspect of human experience.

Youth are not usually concerned about limitations and hedonism is a typical byproduct of newly acquired freedom. The time in your life when you start saying things like ‘I really shouldn’t’ or ‘this will be my last’ marks a stage of responsibility and a shift to controlled behavior. But the days of pure unlimited enjoyment are set in memory to which the mind will always return with longing. Again, the ‘dark moon’ symbol appears here symbolizing new beginnings.

Floodlight of the moon 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm R 3500.00 incl. Vat

We can have some more 2012 Reverse-glass and Ink on Wood 420mm x 420mm R 3500.00 incl. Vat

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