Archive: Issue No. 83, July 2004

'One Zero One' is Bronwen Vaughan-Evans's first solo show since receiving her Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Natal in 1995. The show is made up of an installation of 101 small works, each measuring 13cm x 13cm, and each bearing witness to an intense labour that took the artist three years.

The works derive from Vaughan-Evans' exploration of being 'home and away'. The word home has a history for Vaughan-Evans, she admits, a history that has shaped this artist. After travelling in and out of South African for five years Vaughan-Evans finally came back and set herself a task of creating 101 paintings. The title of the exhibition, 'One Zero One' refers primarily to the number of the works that make up the composite installation piece, but also makes reference to binary systems.

The exhibition heralds a fresh approach: Vaughan-Evans exploring 101 issues relating to her existence, some personal aspects, others collective. In the former, she refers to her identity, relationships and domesticity, expressing these through flashes of childhood memories and dream-like states. Of the latter, there is evidence of dissecting history, heritage, religion, the body and giving iconic status to popular and uniquely South African brands.

I found the portraits amongst the most striking of the panels. Totalling 18 in number, the intense and sensitive handling of these images clearly communicated the special connection the artist has with each sitter, thus allowing us access to her private spaces of interactions.

Included amongst these portraits are two works, one featuring the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo from her painting Portrait with three monkeys, the other of Nelson Mandela. The latter is depicted with a halo that renders and intensifies his iconic, monumental, sometimes 'kitsch' global status. Both represent the artist's deep admiration in different ways. The Kahlo work celebrates this artist and feminine role model, while the Mandela work rejoices in a rainbow romantic, peace-loving citizen.

Some of the works in this show deal directly with the Afrikaner heritage, presenting the Voortrekker monument, the landing of the Dutch in 1652 and a gruesome war scene in another panel. Vaughan-Evans admits to being a victim of this heritage, and tells of the guilt she felt on visiting such historical sites, a guilt she had to work through and reconcile herself with.

Combinations of private symbols, pure design elements and texts surface throughout a number of works. Now and then images of quiet weirdness shock one, like the dead cockroach on a kitchen floor, the tooth fairy, the Karoo lamb and a storm in a teacup.

There are more than 101 more things to say about these little bold wonders. Suffice it to say that Vaughan-Evans gave a little something to everyone who saw the show.

Opens: May 25 at 6pm
Closes: June 13