Poster for exhibition my my graphic designer sister, Natasha Viljoen
Full press release below:
Stoke Newington Arts Centre Brings Strangers Together Through Exhibition of South African Painter’s work
● When: 23 January - 24 February
● Where: MostArt Centre, 86 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 7PA
January 2017: MostArt Centre will host the debut solo show by South African artist and local Stoke Newington resident Jacques Viljoen, titled “Strangers”.
The exhibition will explore the theme of estrangement through a series of paintings on found objects, plein air landscape paintings and portraits.
Viljoen, who studied Fine Art at The University of Cape Town, has also received traditional training in London and Florence.
Central to this exhibition is a series of paintings on soft cover books, which the artist has collected from markets throughout London over the course of year. Together, the book’s covers tell the story of a fictional character, recounting her experiences of estrangement.
This includes memories of distance childhood friends, strange new cities, new and old lovers, and eventually, herself.
Jacques Viljoen said: “I had the idea for this exhibition a couple of years ago, while I was adjusting to life as a foreigner in my new home of London. It started off with collecting and
painting on books but as my skills in traditional painting progressed, I was able to start capturing moments from life in the form of landscapes and portraits.”
He went on to say that, “ It occurred to me that I needed a venue to exhibit my work that would bring strangers together, and MostArt Centre was a good fit. Today I find many of my peers are seeking out alternatives to the traditional gallery setting, for spaces that draw people in and hold them, rather than just a blank space to hang pictures. I liked Erdogan’s idea of creating a space of acceptance which can unite people of different backgrounds. This is really important at this point in time.”
The MostArt Centre is located in the heart of Stoke Newington. The centre aims to bring the local community together through the arts and activities. It regularly hosts musicians, artists and film evenings.
All works are for sale and Jacqcues Viljoen’s work can be seen on his instragram @Jacques.art and website at www.jacques-art.work.
The exhibition will close on the 24th of february 2017
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