Due to limited access to art supplies during lockdown,
“Vacant Land I – Marking the Spot” is the outcome of reworking an existing artwork, “Rooi Els I – the surface of things” first created in 2017. Mark removed the middle panel of the triptych and joined the two outer panels to form this diptych. Picking up from the vibrant colours of the African wax printed textile pasted onto board, Mark adds a mixture of paint and naturally sourced pigments. His work is exquisite from a distance, and slowly forces you to pay attention to every detail where the artist uses brutal, crass and even messy mark making. The juxtaposition of care and apparent neglect serves as a metaphor for life experienced by many in South Africa.
Diptych Painting (x2)
