Life has forced us to be silent and listen with new ears. Noisy routines numb the senses obscuring obvious problems or solutions. In solitude the inner voice becomes clearer, freeing pictures, poems and songs from the demand to perform, allowing them to just “Be”.
During isolation Andrew Ntshabele and Stompie Selibe produced diverse yet complimentary artworks for this exhibition. Selibe’s studio practice is not silent but initiated by music with an spontaneous approach to his paintings. Abstract, free and vibrant, his art defeats lock-down depression.
Andrew Ntshabele reflected inwardly during the period of solitude in order to reset and realign his life. Optimistic images of a happy young girl are superimposed over backgrounds, revealing society’s changing modes of communication, music creation, navigation and the news.
Ntshabele has been positively impacted by the lockdown.
Andrew said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted how we interact and socialize. I’ve had time to reflect and to improve spiritually, physically and mentally. Solitude can be positive: a time to reset and refresh your life. The artworks presented show how COVID-19 has caused the world to let go of old ways and prepared it for a digital future. Solitude has caused me to listen, to think of the past and prepared me for the future. I believe there is still hope.”
Daniel Stompie Selibe is an expressionist painter who blends his musical and visual talent. Selibe improvises freely between audio and visual to produce rhythmic outbursts of colour in combinations of collage, abstract mark making and delicately placed textures.
He purposefully deconstructs and reconstructs to create a fresh perspective. Stompie embraces new outcomes from old patterns with success. His work influences and shifts communities and so shapes the world. Selibe’s artworks are widely exhibited and appear in many prominent collections.
Sounds in Solitude is a painterly duet by these two African Contemporary Artists, presented by Artyli.com as an exclusive online exhibition on Artsy from 27 July – 30 September 2020. View the exhibition here.
The physical exhibition is at: Artyli.com Gallery, 6 Stanley Studios, Milpark, Johannesburg from 29 July – 30 September 2020.
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