Press Release   Issued by Halifax Art, 18 Feb 2016

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Exhibition Title:   this fleeting forever - Debut solo exhibition by Ingrid E Uys

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Artist:    Ingrid E Uys

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Duration:  17 March to 8 April 2016 

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Opening:  17 March 2016, 6pm, Halifax Art Gallery, 35A 4th Avenue, Parkhurst.   

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Opening Speaker:   Diane Victor (To be confirmed)

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About the exhibition:  

In her first solo exhibition, Uys presents a series of oils on canvas and paper, capturing the movement of hummingbirds, swallows and doves in flight. 

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Growing up close to nature, and inspired by a sense of quietness and alone-ness, Uys often found herself lying on her back, absorbed by the clouds, planets and stars. In time, this fascination with the sky extended to the birds that inhabited this vast space..  Uys’ childhood was also characterized by many moves to a series of small towns, thus the concept of flight, movement and migration provides a platform against which permanence - the delicate detail of a wing in flight - is captured. The spiritual nature of swallows in particular resonate closely with Uys, providing the basis of her early nickname “Swaeltjie”.  

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This layering of inspiration is reflected in many of her oils on canvas where layers of paint, water and liquin reveal colour, depth and richness of the cloudscapes. The concept of contrast takes relevance as giant, broad brushstrokes are juxtaposed against the finest of detailed painting, as only a 5 zeros paintbrush is able to render.  This is the lightness of a feather, a wing, the expression of a mesmerising eye, captured in the moment of a looming thunderstorm.   

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In works on paper, negative space allows the presentation of textural quality as mixed media combines with paper to form radiating striations around the subject matter.

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In a few of the works, the birds are presented against a portrait, glimpses of a richly coloured and regal female figure, porcelain-like, in varying poses.  

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About the Artist Born in Ermelo, Uys moved between Clarens, Harrismith and Middelburg, before settling in Pretoria to complete her studies. She graduated in 2007 from University of Pretoria with a BA Fine Art Degree. She has participated in group exhibitions at Erdmann Contemporary and Halifax Art. Following the birth of her daughter, Uys has worked towards creating a body of work for a solo exhibition. She lives with her husband in Johannesburg. Her work is represented in a few collections of distinction.    

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About the gallery  Halifax Art is a visual art agency owned by Dana MacFarlane. MacFarlane promotes the work of selected South African artists through exhibitions at various venues around Johannesburg. A permanent gallery is situated at 35A 4th Avenue Parkhurst.

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Gallery hours: 9am to 4pm Tuesdays to Fridays. 9.30 am to 1pm Saturdays and Sundays. Closed Mondays and certain public holidays. 

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