Local artist wins big at art awards

Springs resident Mariapaola McGurk was named the work on paper merit winner at the Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards last Saturday.
“It feels wonderful to win! It feels so wonderful to be seen, be acknowledged and that others appreciate my work. It is a humbling experience that I am very grateful for,” she said.
Although she admits that she is not a fan of competitions, she believes competitions allow an artist exposure and publicity if they do succeed.

“How can you judge or compare one work to another? That said I gave it a shot. This is the first time I have ever entered Thami Mnyele,” she explained.
The 42-year-old says getting into art was serendipitous for her.
“I failed science in Grade 11 and was told that I had to drop it and take either home economics or art. I saw the Grade 12 learners with their subject files and the art file was smaller than the home economics file so I assumed it was less work! And that is how I started art,” she explains.

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She says by the end of that year, art was not only her favourite but also my strongest subject.
“I loved how it allowed me to express myself and all the confusing emotions and thoughts I was feeling – without having to say a word. It was, and is, a language that just makes sense to me.
“I am not sure how much of it is talent. I think the vast majority of it is hard work, training and perseverance,” she added.
McGurk believes one really has to love the process of making to be an artist.
She describes her art form as paper cutting.

“I use one sheet of black paper per work and then hand cut it with a paper cutting knife. It is a very slow and meticulous process but I love the graphic output and the drop shadows it creates,” she explains.
Earlier this year McGurk enjoyed a solo exhibition at Candice Berman Gallery in Sandton called Finding the Pattern.
“I am about to be part of a group exhibition in the metaverse with NFTs. I am one of 100 artists from the Middle East and Africa to be chosen for MIUZIUM’s first collection of 1001 unique 1-of-1s.
“I have also just completed a collaboration with Clockwork books on three artworks, which will be turned into book covers for their Zazi Collection.
“Other than that I have also started working on concepts and ideas for next year’s solo exhibition,” she says.
Up until 2020, she was running a social creative company, with her husband, in Jozi called The Coloured Cube.

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“We worked on a range of exciting and uplifting projects including the establishment of a creative hub. In 2020 when lockdown hit, the work just stopped and the pressure was overwhelming. How do we pay staff? How do we pay the bond on the building, the equipment for the makerspace, the truck?
“It was an incredibly challenging time and bankruptcy was a real possibility,” she added.
Eventually, McGurk moved back to Springs last year with her family, after living in Jozi for 12 years.
“I grew up in Springs, walking these streets and dreaming of the big city.”
A total of 320 entries were received for the Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards Competition and the ceremony was held at Coen Scholtz Recreational Centre in Kempton Park.For her on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPMcGurk, Instagram: Mariapaola McGurk Instagram: m9_art Website: www.m9art.co.za

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