“Right now, I think the world needs to stop and consider the flowers. We so easily get lost in the horrors and exhaustion of this time that we forget that there is beauty all around.”
These are the words that would turn into brush strokes for artist Vanessa Berlein as she created her now on-exhibition collection entitled ‘Bloom’ on display at Art in the Yard in Franschoek as per the Art Times.
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It’s a series of mixed medium paintings that grew from curiosity. The floral paintings of Dutch artists, the history of flowers being carried and worn in Ancient Rome, and the significance of warding off bad luck during the Middle Ages. Indeed, a myriad of flower imaginings creates colour and life in a time when everything seemed admittedly dull and lifeless, for artists and their audiences.
The creation of the works took sensory experiences into account. Berlein wanted to use her talents to create a space that would feel like stepping into a room of flowers.
Aptly, the exhibition has opened in the full force of Spring in the Cape. The medium and techniques used interesting intertwined stitching, which isn’t just an aesthetic bridge as the Art Times notes, but a symbol for the threads of hope, and that there is always room to stitch further. There is always a way for wounds to heal.
It’s a solo exhibition well worth the visit for anyone looking for upliftment through art – and a fantastic reason to make a road trip to Franschoek for those in the city.
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Pictures: Ruvan Boshoff
