NEW Arrivals by award winning South African artist Jacques van der Merwe will be exhibited at Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery from 7 April – 20 May 2016.
The exhibition has previously been shown at the Logan Art Gallery and the Beaudesert Art Gallery.
In each place the exhibition visits, Jacques paints portraits of migrants from the area.
So far, he has completed 18 works. The display will also feature three familiar faces from the Granite Belt, including Chamber of Commerce president John Bylicki
New Arrivals deals with the theme of immigration and the challenges people face when moving to Australia.
Through the medium of portraiture, Jacques captures people’s experiences with layers of thickly applied paint in engrossing colours.
Jacques van der Merwe sometimes feels that painting is the best medium to express his concept.
He applies paint thick, and the paintings are full of expression. Jacques is colour-blind, and this makes his use of colour interesting in the paintings.
“I moved to Australia in early 2008,” he said.
“My family and I left South Africa because of crime and the diminishing opportunities there.
“Although my process was worthwhile, I was surprised by the complexity of the physical and emotional processes of migration.
“When I speak to other people, I realised immigration is a life-changing experience for all people involved”,
“I decided to make an ongoing artwork concerning what people experience during immigration.
“The exhibition at Stanthorpe Art Gallery will consist of different nationalities living in Australia today, including local people from the Granite Belt.
“I believe this artwork is relevant in Australia, because of the quantity of immigrants who live here and are still moving here. In this project, I paint not just immigrants, but also refugees.
“The likeness between the two groups is surprising. Both find it not just difficult to adapt to Australian society, but also feel that Australia is a beautiful country to live in.”
The official opening for New Arrivals will take place on Friday 8 April at 6pm at the Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery Weeroona Park.
