A journey of tropical hues
FOURWAYS - Artist Trevor Coleman wants to transport the Fourways community to a magical place.
His exhibition, Revisiting Zanzibar, at Art Eye Gallery in the Design Quarter is aimed at just that, as he plans to showcase 22 of his Zanzibar-inspired works.
Stonetown in Zanzibar features prominently. “Stonetown has a magical quality, it is comprised of alley walls and Arabic doors, the dress sense of men and women and the colour of the place. I found new subject matter to paint and through my camera work, I discovered other aspects of Zanzibar,” said Coleman.
Nugwi, a fishing village in northern Zanzibar also inspired Coleman’s works. “The village itself was very interesting structurally, the houses, the roofs, the walls, people walking, full colour, in alley ways but different to Stonetown.”
Coleman’s photographs from his time in Zanzibar inspired his works. “I found that being able to readily capture this context through photography was very artistically satisfying.”
His works are infused with the vibrant colours of Zanzibar, especially the different hues in women’s saris. “This injection of colour added a new flavour to my work and gave me a new perspective when putting together Revisiting Zanzibar.”
His favourite piece is named Ikibana Zanzibar, a still-life with a flower pot. “This work was an impulsive piece. While I am used to preparing my artworks compositionally and conceptually, this work just happened.”
Coleman uses his signature palate knife technique on his oil paintings on canvas which he has developed over the past 25 years. “One colour juxtaposed against the other causes a very strong optical affect. This adds another dimension to the painting. I group colours in threes to add harmony to the painting. This selection and placement of colour is highly considered and is not a haphazard array of colours.”
Coleman is not new to exhibiting his works and has held 35 solo exhibitions since he became a full-time artist in 1959. “I am very excited about this exhibition at Art Eye Gallery which invites a wide audience and has a wonderful space where they are able to view works freely.”
Details: www.arteye.co.za
