Exhibition: Pierneef, Black White and Coloured

An exhibition of paintings and lino cuts, 1 August - 10 September 2004 at The Premises.

Press Release: Pierneef, Black White and Coloured

The Premises presents: Pierneef, Black White and Coloured
An exhibition of paintings and lino cuts by Ryan Arenson

Exhibition opens Sunday 1 August 15h00-17h00
The Premises 1-21 August 2004

Ryan Arenson's up coming solo exhibition presents a comprehensive body of new paintings born out of his extended residency in Paris – which involved extensive research into 19th century western print making and engraving techniques. The significance of Pierneef, Black White and Coloured 2003 – 2004, indicates his shift in focus from European references to the great apartheid art master - Johannes-Hendrik Pierneef. Arenson's interest lies in the compositional values of Pierneef's lino cuts, meticulously translated into oil and enamel paintings.
The following statement by the artist refers to a key work in this exhibition and sheds light on his working process:

“In this multi-unit, mixed media painting Too scared to live and too scared to die. (Oil on canvas, 2004) there are distinct visual quotations, in particular a Japanese stencil design and imagery derived from a Pierneef linocut. Over the past year my painting techniques and compositions have been strongly informed by the sophisticated line work of the above mentioned sources. This work continues my interest in acknowledging the role that powerful art images play throughout history. Without dispelling the obvious political content and associations made with South Africa's grand Apartheid art Master–Johannes Hendrik Pierneef, I am genuinely concerned with a deliberate and almost dogged pursuit of visualising techniques that question the construction of beauty and aesthetics. Commenting on this process however does not preclude the political. In this work I am interested in the visual weight implied in the juxtaposition of seemingly disparate visual sources. However, ultimately I am interested in the emotive experience of producing the work coupled with intent to elicit such a response in its reception.”

Ryan Arenson is a fulltime painter based in Johannesburg, he has produced extensively since his first solo exhibition: Child of the Cosmos , held at the Market Theatre Gallery in 1998, in 1999 he was awarded first place in the ABSA Bank Atelier Awards which resulted in an extended residency in Paris. He returned to live in Johannesburg in May 2003, Pierneef, Black White and Coloured is his fourth solo exhibition.

Images shown above (L-R):
Black Rider
White Tree
Coloured Chickens
(All oil on canvas, 2004)

This press release was taken from The Premises website: www.onair.co.za/thepremises/

Installation: Pierneef, Black White and Coloured

Installation shots from the show at the Premises Gallery: