Claudia Gurwitz, a Cape Town-based artist has explored a myriad of muses over her time as an artist. Featuring in collections from UCT to Nandos UK, she’s incredibly talented. Her subject matter has been largely nature-based, with exhibitions living under titles like ‘Plant’ and ‘Rooted’.
However, her latest inspiration is something very close to home, quite literally. ‘Interrupted’ a Solo Exhibition of Paintings was born during lockdown and speaks about the collective disharmony the pandemic brought into all our lives. The artworks exude visuals of gorgeous tropical flora, that are somewhat disjointed. Gurwitz calls it “interrupted plant imagery” and it beautifully expresses the disconnect of a lockdown environment.
About the work:
“Humanity feels off-centre during this time” Gurwitz expresses, and so the artwork presents an altered reality, that still tries to engage with “each other, and the environment” just as people tried to engage within our altered reality.
Thus, the work projects a “subtly distorted perspective of natural form,” Gurwitz decides.
The paintings express both the desire to connect, but in an almost unnatural way. This is achieved through deconstructed images, as well as cropped and isolated imagery that have been reassembled into different fragments and placed together. It’s essentially about redefining plant imagery, just as “we have had to redefine the world,” Gurwitz notes.
About the artist:
Gurwitz in 1996, had already completed 2 years toward a BAFA at UCT, when she decided to turn toward other disciplines, including yoga. However, in 2005 she returned to her love of painting and completed a three-year mentorship under Julia Teale at Spencer Street Studio. 2007 Brought her to embrace herself as a professional artist, and in 2008 she was her first exhibition. She is the winner of a SASA Merit Award, and from 2019 she returned to Cape Town from Ribeek Kasteel where she now lives and creates her magnificent pieces.
Other works:
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‘Interrupted’, a solo exhibition of paintings by Claudia Gurwitz, will be on display at the AVA Gallery, 35 Church St, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town from 2 June-8 July.
Instagram: @claudiagurwitz
Pictures: Supplied