Tom Cullberg at the KZNSA Gallery
by Francesca Verga
First seen in Durban on the 'New Painting' show curated by Storm Janse van Rensburg earlier this year, Tom Cullberg returns to the KZNSA Gallery with the solo exhibition 'House', which opened on September 26, 2006.
In this new body of work Cullberg considers the 'House' to be a container of concealed narrative. The paintings and graphics on the exhibition separately depict seemingly empty and unoccupied buildings, juxtaposed with apparently unrelated images of people and their belongings. Yet, on closer inspection, and when considered as a whole, concurrent narratives and meanings can be deduced.
The subject matter is sourced from images in art books and from photographs taken by the artist on travels between his native Sweden and resident country South Africa. It is this duality between two geographical locations that feeds the underlying narrative for this exhibition.
The works reiterate the need or longing for a home or place to which to belong. The houses act as a metaphor for this feeling of displacement, especially when positioned alongside grouped figures like Boys on the Beach. Works like this are interspersed with solitary portraits of individuals. In some cases, the houses are empty and deserted with no presence of life, such as the aged-somewhat-nostalgic Sepia House, which depicts a house that could exist in perhaps any time or place.
Where figures are present, they have few distinguishing features. They are almost universal having no distinct facial features, allowing one to imagine these images were captured at a quick glance or painted from memory. In the The Studio there are no figures depicted but human presence is alluded to by the ambient porch light. Meeting at the Studio allows a glimpse of the shadows of two people apparently engaged in conversation. It is the hint of, the interaction between and the absence/presence of figures in Cullberg's paintings that make for an intriguing body of work.
Alongside his smaller representational works, replete with attention to detail, is a large canvas covered entirely in painted stripes. Stripes (Ride West) seems to foreground Cullberg's palette of choice.
Cullberg's works reiterate the role of the artist as observer, subtly documenting human interaction and the relationships between identity, object and geographical place. Cullberg presents the viewer with seemingly familiar images and settings encouraging contemplation and an exploration of these themes.
Opens: September 26
Closes: October 15
The KZNSA Gallery
166 Bulwer Road, Glenwood, Durban 4001
Tel: (031) 202 3686
fax: (031) 201 8051
Email: curator@kznsagallery.co.za
www.kznsagallery.co.za
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