You Can Rest

This group exhibition of KZN work speaks to a quest for alternative means to achieve collective respite — much needed by the KZN community in the wake of the calamities in recent years.

You Can Rest suggests moments of calm in a world that is chaotic and traumatised; it inspires feelings of peace as one considers the warmth of “home’’ – whether spiritual or physical, and how it can be a haven and reminder to slow down, pause and rest. Many of the works evoke the meditative practice of artists who layer paper in large-scale collages (Nixon), layer time and reality in multiple-exposure photography (Rose) and layer shades of the same colour in tinted scenarios (Ntsungwana). The exhibition also layers time with a multi-generational selection of KZN artists – established artists; Verster, van den Berg, Nunn, Manana and Buckland are exhibited alongside early career artists; Raphael, Doughty, Radebe, Ineseko and Luthuli.

The artworks are arranged in vertical and horizontal lines, conveying a sense of spirituality and space. The horizontal hints at the landscape’s continuation beyond the image plane, with some works emphasizing movement across dimensions, and others leaning inward; towards stillness.

The artworks included in this group exhibition are selected from the work consigned to the KZNSA e-commerce platform, KZNSA Online, by artists of Durban descent. KZNSA Online celebrates the avant-garde cultural offerings of early career artists in their journey towards viable careers and visibility in the industry, while also chronicling the work of established artists from KZN who now inspire new generations.

When engaging with the work, the viewer is encouraged to acknowledge this transmission of stillness, and is invited to stay.

– Curated by Thina Miya with Puleng Mongale