A RARE opportunity is on offer at the Artisan Gallery in Durban’s Florida Road as an exhibition of works from internationally renowned artist Carl Roberts is on display.
The sculptor – who has collections displayed the world over including in England, France, China, the US, Colombia, and across Africa – is known for his elaborate works with a number of materials including stone, coral, indigenous wood and – as in the case of this exhibition – bones.
In an interview with Tonight, Roberts said he’s been making bone sculptures since the ’80s. Asked why he chose the materials he works with, he said he likes to be excited about his art.
“So I need new materials and I like to use the materials in the world in which I live.”
Roberts’ themes are varied. He said sometimes he is driven by the material and sometimes he has an idea and sets out to find a piece of material that suits the subject.
“The one thing I don’t want to do is to rationalise my art. I want it to be a gut feel and instinct-based. Contained in any work will be an amount of art history or social history or psychological aspects, but you just need to also be true to yourself and do what excites and interests you,” he said.
He explained that several themes come up in his art: “One of them is a flying figure. My father was an airman, so he’s a kind of an Icarus figure (Greek mythological winged figure). Now, I didn’t think of this when I was making the art, but I do make these winged-figures every now and then, it sort of comes out in the process.
“You’ll also see a lot of boats in my art. Boats are a metaphor for life’s journey, as it were, but also my family travelled a lot when I was young, from England to South Africa to Zambia to Tanzania and several places in South Africa. A lot of our travel overseas were in the days when ships were the popular choice of travel. So that’s linked into to boats being a metaphor for life…where do you go? Where do you come from?
“There’s a weaving of things which I’m not sure that one can be too intellectual about because it’s too complicated. I think everybody is complicated with all sorts of nuances and bits and pieces and parts of history.”
The bones he works with were sourced from KZN Wildlife and are from six rhinos, four giraffes and a few other animals that had died a while back during a major drought in the province.
Another passion for Roberts is his work with the African Art Centre where he occupies the chairman’s seat: “It’s a great organisation which helps people find work through arts and crafts.
“Very often they are from rural areas and unskilled. We train them in an art and help them to market their art. And once they become really good they are usually taken over by galleries or shops, which is great.”
• Robert’s bone sculptures are on display at the Artisan Gallery, 344 Florida Road, Morningside. For more information, call 031 312 4364.