“Ruik jy fynbos of ruik jy Karoo?”
Solo art Exhibition: Hermien van der Merwe
12 – 22 September 2024
Welgemeend Function Venue, 2 Welgemeend Street, Gardens, Cape Town
I am excited to present my first solo exhibition in three years:
“Ruik jy fynbos of ruik jy Karoo?”
The title of my exhibition is a word play on the well-known Afrikaans song by Coenie de Villiers: “Karoonag” with the chorus: “Ruik jy Katbos of ruik jy Kambroo?”
Many people know me as a fynbos artist. I love to paint the Cape Floral Kingdom. I live at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town and find my inspiration (mostly) on Table Mountain with its fynbos flora. This exhibition will showcase my latest body of fynbos paintings, including some of my largest format creations ever.
The Karoo
Over the past three years, I have had the privilege to spend more time in the Great Karoo, on our farm North-East of Sutherland. I have spent many days walking in the semi-desert landscape, observing the environment and vegetation – allowing it to permeate through me, using all my senses. The Karoo is defined by its unique topography, geology, and climate, as well as its low rainfall, arid air, wide skies, strong winds and extremes of heat and cold. Sutherland is reputedly the coldest town in South Africa. The Karoo landscape is known for its multiple flat-topped hills, or Karoo koppies. The landscape gives me a sense of timelessness and a slow way of living.
This year, I was ready to portray the Karoo in my art.
For the first time, my exhibition will include four large-scale semi-abstract Karoo landscapes. (I did not try to fit the Great Karoo onto a small canvas – hence the large size of these works!) In these paintings, I juxtapose various Karoo elements on my canvas, rather like creating a collage, but in oil paint.
The viewer may find elements of the Karoo vegetation (with its beautiful Afrikaans common names): Bergankerkaroo; Soetdoring; Rooikaree; Klapperbos and Tolbos.
Other elements incorporated into my paintings are the Karoo wind mills (windpompe); water reservoirs / dams; dolerite and mudstone rocks; tortoise shells; wire fencing and gates; porcupine quills; cumulonimbus clouds and Karoo koppies.
As I walk on the farm, I keep finding small, old porcelain fragments left behind by people who lived here in ages past. I have decided to paint one, small fragment into every large landscape, recreating the experience of finding them in the dust. I paint these fragments realistically, so that they seem out of place in my semi-abstract landscape, just as they are in nature. And I love these little treasures, especially the ones with colourful detail. I feel rich every time I find one.
This exhibition
In my preparation for this exhibition, I found myself drawn to large scale canvasses and to naturalistic, organic forms and abstraction. I aim to work even more freely and loosely with fast, confident application of my paint. I am increasing the detail of my subject matter using finer brushes for more detail.
I enjoy leaning into the process and trusting the Spirit within me to lead my art to goodness and beauty.
When in Cape Town, I walk in the fresh air of Table Mountain, and I observe the fynbos plants with my senses. I look at them intentionally and try to remember not only what I see but also the emotions evoked within me. Similarly, I look at the Karoo landscape with fresh eyes to enable me to paint mainly intuitively and from memory. I aim to capture my personal view of nature, incorporating the shapes and colours as well as the natural elements such as the movement of the wind or the sting of the sharp winter air.
Amplify series
All the artworks for this exhibition are painted in 2024. Most of the paintings that will be on show is part of my Amplify series.
In this series:
- I would see a tiny colourful flower in the Karoo and paint it larger or brighter in my painting, repeating and amplifying the colour in other areas of my artwork.
- I would see the fynbos flowers and paint more flowers than true to nature, into my composition. Amplifying the flowers to bloom in and out of season!
- I would see an interesting shape and amplify it by making it larger or more defined on my canvas.
- I paint on large-scale canvasses (amplify the size). I use the movement of my entire body to paint on this scale.
- I would see a shape and repeat it to create a pattern (amplify/repeat the shape).
More importantly:
- I have the desire to amplify beauty around me.
- I aim to exalt the Maker of all things through my art.
On a practical note:
- I will be painting daily in the exhibition space. You are welcome to come and view my progress.
- In person viewing / walkabouts can be arranged directly with me: hermien@hermien-art.co.za
- Art commissions are welcome.
- Artists creative morning: 18 September
This will be a creative morning for artists, where we can create art together for a few hours. (I will be painting daily from 13 to 22 September in Welgemeend Function Venue as part of my solo art exhibition.) On Wednesday, 18 September, bring what you are busy making or just come for cake and coffee!
Artists usually work in solitude and do not often get the opportunity to meet other artists. I think it will be lovely for Cape Town artists to come together. All artists are welcome!
Please bring your own art materials. There will be tables in the venue for us to work on. I would recommend bringing smaller works for practical consideration.
Please book your space: https://www.hermien-art.co.za/shop
- Walkabout with artist
I would love to talk to you about my art, informally, as we walk through the exhibition space. You are welcome to join these walkabouts to view the artworks with me, listen to my story and to ask questions. No need to book. Just come. (There are 3 sessions in the calendar below.)
Event Calendar
Contact details:
Telephone number: (+27) 83 7044 734
E-mail: hermien@hermien-art.co.za
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HermienvanderMerweArt
Instagram: hermien_art
Karoonag – Coenie de Villiers
As die nag sy baadjie toeknoop oor die veld
en die diereriem sy blink tot teen die skerpioen laat lê;
as die tweeling en die kreef
kotteljons oor Beauford-Wes
en die maan sy beker skink oor Graaff-Reinet
Ruik jy katbos en kambro
as dit reën in die Kleinkaroo
My Hantamwind
My optelkind
vanaand (x2)
In die môre as dit blou word
en die amber wolke roer
as die son sy eerste lig
oor die bitterboela stoot;
as die trein by Noupoort fluit
en dit wegraak in die wind
en ‘n tolbos iewers vaswaai teen die rant
Ruik jy katbos en kambro
as dit reën in die Kleinkaroo
My Hantamwind
My optelkindvanaand (X2)