REFLECTING on change, transformation and transition, the KZNSA Gallery presents Louise Hall’s Fine Lines exhibition, which is on display until July 8.
Fine Lines explores images of transformation and journeying. Within the contexts of climate change, the recession and political upheaval, Hall’s work is, in many ways, her attempt to come to terms with these issues.
In an interview with Tonight, Hall explained in more detail what her art represents: “‘Fine lines’ refers to both the medium of drawing and thematic aspect of this show. This exhibition explores the nature and process of drawing. Although drawing is difficult to define, line seems to be an incontrovertible aspect of drawing.
“Thematically this exhibition also explores the experience of transition and impermanence. In my view, there is often a fine line between states of change. These works exploring literal and figurative travelling reflect the hope of transformation and the uncertainty of death. When we are on our way somewhere, anything can happen. These uncertainties are made more pressing, in the South African context, by extreme violence, poverty and the effects of the HIV/Aids pandemic, as well as on a global level – climate change, economic uncertainty and political fracturing. In a way, this work is my attempt to come to terms with some of these challenges.”
Hall comes from a family with an artistic background. In fact, her mother was an art teacher and encouraged her to become involved in art.
“Her father – my grandfather, Albert Norenius, publisher of the Northern Natal Courier in Dundee, northern KwaZulu-Natal – made fine furniture. So there is a creative, crafty, arty, bent lurking in the family,” she explained.
Speaking of how she realised that art was her true passion, Hall said: “I can’t identify an age at which I became more serious about art making. It was probably a gradual process of realising I wanted to make art. I love and respect the process of making art. I don’t always love it and don’t find it relaxing. It is more that I am captivated by a process that is inherently risky and overwhelming… very satisfying if you can pull it off and so perplexing when you can’t.”
Explaining her preferred medium, the artist said she uses traditional drawing and paint media, with paper.
“I use compressed charcoal, pencil, conté, inks and watercolour. With canvas or board as a ground, I use oil paints. Although I use paint and drawing media, I consider all my work to be drawing. I think through the medium of drawing, and skilled drawing, in particular.”
For Hall, her ambition as an artist is to make work that has integrity.
Fine Lines was also exhibited at the University of Johannesburg Art Gallery in April and moves to the Grande Provence Gallery in Franschhoek from September 30 to October 31.
• The exhibition runs till July 8 at the KZNSA Gallery, 166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood. For info, call 031 277 1705, or visit www.kznsagallery.co.za