(Pic: Work by Marianne Meijer)“Still Life’s” alive and well at Gallery 415 (Review by Bren Brophy)
Still Lifes have the rather unfortunate reputation within the contemporary art world as being somewhat prone to a suburban, pedestrian, middle of the road approach. The works on show at Gallery 415 suffer none of these maladies. This is a stylish exhibition by a foursome of painters whose gutsy approach is characterised by their seemingly effortless mastery of their chosen medium – paint, good old-fashioned paint.
That’s where their deference to this fine tradition stops and four unique, quintessential, at times witty series of works emerge. Confident in their modernity Pascale Chandler, Jennie Kinsler, Louise Jennings and Marianne Meijer united by the chosen theme (Still Life) retain their respective identities by sticking to what they know best. Chandler’s, at times, cheeky interpretations of age old subjects (a rabbit, Minnie Mouse, a stuffed animal [here as a child’s toy] – Kinsler’s unusual perspectives of everyday objects and plants, Jennings’ archetypal tableware with jugs, bowls, teapot, fruit, Meijer’s single vessels, glass tumblers, vases and fruit. What distinguishes their collective approach is their sincere yet unselfconscious deference to the techniques of the (here European) masters.
Meijer tips her cap to the Dutch and German expressionists, emotional, sombre, often mono-chromatic. Her interests lie in the uncomplicated presence of mere objects made memorable by the simplicity and essence of her confident ownership of each fearless and determined brush stroke – this is what we expect from her work which has over the years found its rightful place among great South African woman painters. Uncompromising in her selection of subject and remorseless in her rejection of superficial detail, her dedication has resulted in a small but landmark collection.
Jennings recognises yet does not copy the structure and realism of the Flemish and Dutch Romanticists. Highly worked and deeply considered, her almost uniformly-centralised compositions evoke calm and sanctity, perhaps even a reverence and religiosity for her craft which cannot be faulted. Iconographic in their roots, crisp, minimal and modern in their completion they are a collectors and decorators dream.
Kinsler is interested in the evocative play of light, luminous and fleeting. She confidently approaches reflections, factual and yet fragmented her choice of aerial perspective goes where most artists fear to tread and emerges triumphant.
Chandler’s work is reminiscent of the sixteenth-century Netherlands painter Pieter Brueghel – teetering towards the peculiar but never at the expense of superlative technique, rich, convincing and self assured brush strokes, deceptive in their simplicity and magnificent in their creation of the illusion of three dimensionality – arguably, a timeless and trustworthy definition of masterly realist painting. We have come to expect this from Chandler and she does not disappoint. By choosing to exhibit her reference material (small ceramic bunny, plastic Minnie Mouse) on a shelf below her paintings, Chandler gives the nod to contemporary kitsch, subtly subverting her choice of subject which although celebrating our eternal love of animals does not portray them (as most commonly do her historic predecessors) as dead but rather well…still alive.
Still Life will be on show until September 26 at Gallery 415, upstairs above Spectrum Art Supplies, at .415 Umgeni Rd, Durban. Phone 031 309 6401 or 083 776 6764, email: gallery415@mweb.co.za or visit www.gallery415.co.za - Bren Brophy, September 2009
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