Gabrielle Kruger

Statement

My practice investigates the materiality of paint, while being inspired by the natural environment. In part, my work interrogates traditional Western landscape painting in light of the contemporary understanding that ‘nature’ has been rearticulated, even plasticised and hence rendered malleable, through human action. The idea of a plasticised natural environment is associated with the age of the Anthropocene. My work explores the idea of a socially and materially constructed landscape; utilising the medium of acrylic paint I reimagine the landscape with a material that embodies plastic, both in its polymer molecular make-up and its malleability. In my practice, I use dried acrylic paint as a collaging medium and wet paint as a glue and that enables me to challenge the accepted perceptions of both ‘nature’ and painting.

Through experimentation and play, the landscape becomes unearthed and degrounded, and sometimes the work is an abstraction of what is; an investigation into the materiality of acrylic paint as a plastic (much like the very real, very contemporary landscape of the Anthropocene). Working in painting, the physical works sometimes extend the ordinary canvas; I play with installation, sculpture and performance, but in essence it remains a painting.

GlogauAIR Project

My work is inspired by the natural environment, however it is informed by the materiality of paint. In my studio practice, I work with large quantities of acrylic paint that is manufactured in Cape Town, where my studio is based. Interestingly, acrylic paint was first developed in Germany in 1934. In the last five years, I have thoroughly examined the material that is acrylic paint. Being far away from my local manufacturer and thus being limited and more frugal with the materials available to me during the residency would be a first departure point for this project. This break from my usual studio processes will allow me to source inspiration from the surrounding environment that is Berlin; both urban and ecological; starting with the exploration of some – according to many online tourist websites – over 2500 public parks and gardens that Berlin has to offer.

Installation, Painting, and Sculpture

CV Summary

Born 1993, Cape Town South Africa. Lives and works in Cape Town, South Africa.

EDUCATION

• 2015 Masters of Fine Art (MFA), Michaelis School of Fine Art, The University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2018 Bachelors of Fine Art (BA), University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES

• 2023 [Upcoming] Artist in Residence, GlogauAIR, Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany (10 April to 28 June 2023)
• 2019 Artist in residence, Nirox Sculpture Park, Cradle of Humankind, Johannesburg, South Africa.
• 2018 Certificate of Excellence, 33rd Chelsea International Fine Art Competition, New York City, USA.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

• 2023 [Upcoming] Solo exhibition with Suburbia Contemporary, Barcelona, Spain, June 2023
• 2022 Fifty Sounds, a three story exhibition of works by Gabrielle Kruger, Georgina Gratrix and Mongezi Ncaphayi, Gallery Kiche, Seoul, Korea.
• 2020 Wait the Line, (Artist Room) SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2019 For Paint to Dry, SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Overgrowth, Marta Moriarty Art Window, Madrid, Spain. An African Adaption of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream (painting performance), in Collaboration with The National School of the Arts & Nirox Foundation, Nirox Sculpture Park, Cradle of Humakind, Johannesburg, South Africa. Gucci Garden of Eden (Performance Painting), a secret performance in collaboration with the Cape Town City Ballet, curated by Elana Brundyn and Louw Kotze, with cheography by Debbie Turner.
• 2018 Turbine Art Fair (Graduates Section), Turbine Hall, Johannesburg, South Africa. Ungrounding Landscape, Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Town, South Africa.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

• 2023 {Upcoming} Chromatic Horizons, Oude Leeskamer, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Investec Cape Town Art Fair 10th Edition 2023 (Eigen + Art Gallery) Cape Town Convention Centre, Cape Town, South Africa. under~water~love pop-up exhibition by Eigen + Art Gallery at Under Projects, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2022 Lush, Cavalli Gallery, Somerset West, South Africa. Inner Landscapes, Bloom Galerie, Geneva, Switzerland. Kindred, Boschendal Norval Art Gallery, Franschhoek, South Africa. Artbusan (Gallery Kiche), Busan, Korea. Fifty Sounds, Gallery Kiche, Seoul, Korea. Within the Fold, SMAC Gallery, Johannesburg: Stellenbosch, South Africa. Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa. Space and Place Vol 2, Pop-Up Exhibition, curated by Khanya Mashabela, Galerie EIGEN + ART, Buitenkant Street, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2021 Unfair Weather, Lychee One, London, UK. Weekend Special, Cape Town Art Weekend, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa. Opening Exhibition, FNB Art Joburg, SMAC Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa. 40 UNDER 40, BMW x Whatiftheworld Gallery x Krone Cap Classique, Twee Jongen Gezellen, Tulbach, South Africa. THE LONG TABLE, SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Space and Place, curated by Khanya Mashabela, Galerie EIGEN + ART, Leipzig, Germany. Biophylia, Cavalli Gallery, Stellenbosch.
• 2020 Artissima Art Fair, Online. Matereality, Iziko National Museum of South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa. A Show of Solidarity, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa. SHAPING THINGS: An exploration of clay and ceramics in contemporary South African art practice, SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Investec Cape Town Art Fair (SMAC Gallery), Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2019 arteBOTANICA (painting performance), Nirox Sculpture Park, Cradle of Humankind, Johannesburg, South Africa. The Female Line, SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa. FNB Art Joburg (SMAC Gallery), Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. Unresolved Categories, Gallery MOMO, Cape Town, South Africa. What Do Painters Do All Day, BKHZ Studio, Johannesburg, South Arica. Gucci Garden of Eden (painting performance), curated by Elana Brundyn and Louw Kotze, performed by students of the Cape Town Academy of Performing Arts, Norval Foundation, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2018 Garden Smoothie, collaborative exhibition with Marlene Steyn, SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa. The 33rd Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Exhibition, Agora Gallery, New York City, USA. Intersection, Tyburn Gallery, London, UK. Untitled 6.99, 99Loop Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2017 SS17, curated by Heinrich Groenewald, Gallery Momo, Cape Town, South Africa. Lady Bush, Cavalli Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa. Growing Gatherings, two – person exhibition with Kevin Frankental, 99 Loop Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa. Naturalis | Neo, curated by Mia Louw and Nicola Kaden, Neo Venue Space, Bainskloof Pass, Wellington, South Africa. Growing Matter, Academic Review Exhibition by Gabrielle Kruger, Michaelis School of Fine art, The University of Cape Town (UCT), Cape Town, South Africa. Between t[here] and then here and there, Michaelis Galleries, Cape Town, South Africa. Jan van Riebeeck Alumni Exhibition, Welgemeend Manor House, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2016 Kingdom, Cavalli Gallery, Somerset West, South Africa. Untitled 3.99, 99 Loop Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2015 GRADEX 2015, Class of 2015 Graduate Exhibition, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Dreams Amongst Other Things, Salon 91, Cape Town, South Africa. Scape, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Growing Intrusions – Graduate Exhibition University of Stellenbosch Visual Art Department, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Intrusion: an Exhibition | Questions of Contamination and Symbiosis, University of Stellenbosch Visual Art Department, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
• 2014 Drive Through Thursday, a public drawing flashmob performance as part of Kunste Donderdag, curated by Vulindlela Nyoni, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Draw Through Thursday, a drawing performance curated by Vulindlela Nyoni, The Department of Visual Arts, Stellenbosch. Red Bull Doodle Sessions In Collaboration with Draw Maw, curated by Gabrielle Kruger and Sune Vosloo, PJ Olivier Art Centre, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Redbull Studio Sessions, a group exhibition, curated by Pierre Vermeulen, PJ Olivier Art Centre, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
• 2013 The Life of an Object, Stellenbosch University Visual Art Department, Stellenbosch, South Africa. The Poetics of Space, The Sasol Art Museum, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Gallery