ONE11 GALLERY, SOUTH AFRICA
11 February – 9 March 2019
“Looking at these pictures for a moment, they take me on a journey into the deepest darkest parts of my psyche. The place where all the pain, anguish and dark thoughts, has at some point resided, the childhood bullies, the manipulators, the abusers, the people who willfully harmed for their own gain, my own dark desires, which at times more fearful than living perpetrators. My voice roars, standing tall, upright and strong…As my roar ends, my eyes find the woman, light, pure, full of love and I’m reminded as always, that no matter how far I travel down into the madness, that there is always a chink in the darkness where life shines in; and I know with every fiber of my being, that love always wins, me a human filled with unfathomable love.. Equilibrium is restored”
Exhibition
The project is an exploration of the uncanny valley separating the visceral experience and the unbridled expression of our innermost fears and desires. Using an AI-assisted painterly approach in combination with digital photography the artist shines light upon the archetypal twins of the psyche, dancing on the edge of the raging chaos while moving gently to the tune of the tamed and civilized mind.
Each canvas shatters a dark mirror of restrain and breaks the window wide open into the wilderness of each subject’s soul, bringing it out of the shadow and onto the surface – a self-portrait of the Unconscious.
THE STORIES THAT LIE BOTH UPON AND UNDERNEATH THE SKIN
South African artist Aniek Nieuwenhuis was born in Pretoria in 1995 and raised in Stellenbosch. In March 2004 her family was caught in a fire accident involving a faulty gas cylinder at their holiday cabin in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Aniek was admitted at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital for five months with severe third-degree burns. She had a twenty percent chance for survival. In 2007 she was awarded a full academic scholarship by the Make a Difference Leadership Foundation (MAD Leadership Foundation), which enabled her to pursue a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Cape Town in 2015. Aniek uses self-representation in her photographic practice as a therapeutic way of processing childhood trauma. Her work mainly focuses on the psychological challenges that come with being physically different, and she does this through reflecting on her personal experience as a burn survivor. Over the course of her studies she was awarded the Cecil Skotnes Scholarship Prize for her exhibition Through Fire, From Ashes in 2017, as well as the Katrine Harries Print Cabinet Purchase Award and the Simon Gerson Prize for her graduate exhibition The Stories On My Skin in 2018.
Interview with SaySay Love and Aniek Nieuwenhuis discussing their work on the project.
SaySay has been supporting the MAD leadership Foundation since 2017 and continues to pledge his support to this worthy cause. All proceeds of the sale of his work at One11 Gallery goes towards the MAD Leadership Foundation Scholarship Fund.
Artist’s Prints now available
If you are interested in acquiring exhibited artwork, please contact our representative at the gallery or visit our online shop
About the Artist
Saysay.Love is a visual activist who spends his time between Cape Town and Berlin. He has made a name for himself with the series entitled the ‘Gift of Water’ which brought attention to the water crises facing the Western Cape in 2018 and will see him present a new body of work in 2019 touching on themes such as “Faked Perfection”, “intimate loneliness” and “Sex with Things”
SaySay.Love shares his unique way of seeing the world through the work he creates. Born with an optical disability that affects his ability to see the world three-dimensionally, SaySay.Love has a different perspective which comes across in his suggestive and provocative work.
His photography is layered with symbolism and based on his emotional experiences and reflections on the social issues. SaySay.Love is passionate about education and the role it plays in social change, supporting a number of charities with the proceeds of his work.
In the Media
MARCH 19, 2019 / ‘SKIN DEEP’ AT ONE11 GALLERY, SOUTH AFRICA
Interview with SaySay Love and Aniek Nieuwenhuis discussing their work on the project.
February 7, 2019 / SABC News Morning Show, SOUTH AFRICA
“SKIN DEEP” – Morning Live SABC Interview with SaySay Love
Full version of the interview with SaySay Love discussing his new artwork and collaboration on the exhibition “SKIND DEEP”
“Two fine artists from Cape Town have collaborated to showcase works that challenge perceptions of beauty. Next week, they will host an exhibition entitled ‘Skin Deep’ which explores the distorted image of human beings taking a journey through fear and pain. The exhibition will run until the 9th of March 2019.”
February 13, 2019 / pARTicipate’s Bruce Dennill Interview on ‘SKIN DEEP’ Exhibition
Skin Deep, Or Fleshing Out A Philosophy
“In terms of the viewing of art: do you think that culture plays a role in how we perceive art? Or is there more of a collective consciousness at play or both? For instance, does the reaction between your German and South African art lovers differ?
I think that culture and society does play a role in the way that art is perceived. I feel that the art scene in Europe is perhaps more politicised and dealing with social issues relating to that society whereas here in SA its rawer and more organic. But also, if we speak in general terms about art appreciation, there is always certainly a subjective viewpoint. I doubt whether any two people will look at a picture in the same way. We are all looking from our own perspective, even though it is influenced by the collective. This is something that really excites me about art. We are all artists really.”
Art Interview: Skin Deep, Or Fleshing Out A Philosophy – pARTicipate
ABOUT THE VENUE
GalleryOne11 is situated on 111 Loop St. Cape Town and brings together artworks that elicit engagement in the community and encourages participation toward the better understanding of each other. The gallery provides an intimate space for upcoming artists to expand their repertoire and develop their audience.