Archive: Issue No. 84, August 2004

Heleen Verwey's work has me perplexed despite her assurances that it is not the spawn of playful aliens. The Dutch-born artist recently exhibited 'Work in Progress', consisting of her three-dimensional anything-goes paintings (which can include any found objects she drags home) and some innovative installations all of which are delightfully abstract and packed with symbolism.

The objects help to mark her environment and her place therein. The exhibition, which travels later this year to the USA and Europe under the auspices of the Dutch embassy, is described by Verwey as comprising two halves that actually belong to different wholes. Personally, the show's title could have a deeper resonance - referring to the continuing impact of the often soft-spoken works.

Having been completely oblivious to any of Verwey's previous output, I was struck by the unconventionality of her work, operating as it does on its own set of aesthetics. She cites Spanish artist Antoni Tapies as a kindred spirit, as well as Anselm Kiefer, whose use of symbols is 'very similar' to her own. She also claims contemporary art from West Africa, particularly Benin and Ghana, as a point of reference. Metaphysics also seem dominant, with Zen calligraphy - or 'calligraphy of the soul' as she puts it - featuring in one of her more strident creations - a mielie-bag doused with resin for colour and emblazoned with a red cross.

Verwey, who has worked in television, theatre and music in her native Holland, confesses that her work may be challenging at first, but given time, she assures one, the meanings will unfurl. Or they may remain a series of open-ended questions and eclectic symbols. Take The Vessel is Always Full , which, for me invoked a sense of flux and entrapment in life's sometimes tedious, cyclical aspect. Try pressing Verwey for her interpretation and she turns somewhat mercurial - 'I guess it depends on how you look at things, you know - is the glass half full or half empty?'

Zen 1 , again, was befuddling; large and overwhelming physically but soft-spoken, deep, strong, subdued reds seep beneath the layers of oil paint. Some corrugated cardboard is pasted in for good measure.

Verwey maintains a sense of balance with 'Work in Progress' by encompassing a full range of emotions. The installations allow her to 'get creative with the gallery space' and she struts her stuff accordingly, wearing her heart on her sleeve with, My Heart's A Flame . Here Verwey exchanges her calm for a brazen display of passion for her adopted country with a mobile red heart emblazoned with a set of lights on wheels. She also yearns to return to an innocence lost with her installation entitled Are you Ready to be Clean , using aquatic motifs to question our desire to comply with society's norms.

Verwey has successfully mounted an exhibition in a way I can describe as 'engaging', and, by allowing artSpace's challenging architecture to guide her without imposition, she has proven to be a sensible artist and innovator. Old habits die hard, may she live long to see the junk yards of our vision turn to beauty.

June 24 - July 14