20/4/2007
Two solo exhibitions
Artspace, Fairland
Uwe Pfaff's engineering background is clearly evident in his sculptures which employ a gas and heat cutting process. Nel-Scheffer's paintings are skillfully painted using bright and sometimes acidic colour.
Uwe Pfaff and Zonia Nel-Scheffer
Uwe Pfaff and Zonia Nel-Scheffer explore this theme in two very different,
but equally exciting ways.
Pfaff, born in Denmark, started his career as an engineer before deciding to
turn his attentions to fine art. His engineering background is clearly
evident in his sculptures which employ a gas and heat cutting process. As
these sculptures are cut directly from solid steel, the precision and
accuracy which comes into the process is remarkable.
Pretoria born Zonia Nel-Scheffer's paintings are skillfully painted using
bright and sometimes acidic colour. She uses the same middle aged man in a
business suit in each painting, which is a little reminiscent of Magritte's
bowler hat man. Her work speaks of the human condition in the fast paced
modern world.
Nel-Scheffer's humour, although witty and tongue in cheek, is also very
dark. The man she uses has no expression. He seems oblivious of all that is
happening to his head. The idea of unzipping a head brings up images of
craniotomy (brain surgery) or a Hannibal Lector type scenario, but Zonia
shifts your focus to the one-liners that make you laugh instead.
What makes this exhibition exciting is the humour which both these artists
employ. Of Headspaces, Pfaff says "I am trying to close the circle, homing
in what matters in my head.Grey matter anti matter and mad hatters.Years ago
my exhibitions consisted of legs detached from the body.". And indeed he has
found his head, in fact many heads, in this show. They all deal with what
Pfaff has seen in his head while he dreams and the idea of thoughts
themselves. When asked about the work "Not straight from the.heart" which
shows a female head with a spiral forming in her head, Pfaff merely says
"haven't you ever heard of a circling thought?" This wonderful simplicity of
both concept and inception is what makes Pfaff's work enchanting.
As this exhibition is on for only another week, we wouldn't like you to miss
your chance to catch this fun and lighthearted show. We would like to invite
you to a short walkabout of the exhibition followed by some refreshments.
Artspace Fine Art Gallery
3 Hetty Ave - Fairlands