Artists We Love: Rose Gelderblom

INTERVIEWED BY Michaela Stehr

Rose Gelderblom talks to VISI about growing up as a South African woman, social media, Palestine, art and what inspires her.

How did you get into art?

I am fortunate to have been born into a family of practising artists. My grandparents were artists living in the Eastern Cape and my great-grandparents were art educators on the South African-Namibian border. My great uncle has a home in Parys called ‘Gelderland’ that is a living archive of Gelderblom family art.

I grew up in Cape Town in the ’90s where struggle artists and political art was abundant. I was fortunate to be exposed to great thinkers and makers, through my parents, who have throughout my career encouraged my self-expression and creative processes.

From around age 16 I began to realise that I can convey a meaning a lot more effectively through an image than what I can through spoken word. My art career has developed as an alternative to my voice. Through art I can express my sensitivity in a way that I struggle to in conversation.

I studied art at university level, a choice that I often question. I think that my work as a means of self-expression is so deeply personal that the art-academic environment was a very violent space within which to develop my art.

What inspires you?

I draw inspiration from my daily encounters. I am a South African woman and I am deeply inspired by the stories of the women of this country, and women who are advocating for social justice around the world. I have spent the last year creating work after a residency in Palestine in June 2015. I have had the great privilege of working alongside the Palestine Museum and the Institute for Palestine and South Africa in the last year.

I am inspired by the individual, as well as the crowd. I am interested in the ways that people find unity and voice through growing numbers, rallying support and the sharing of ideas. Having grown up in Cape Town I draw a lot of inspiration from the people, plants and landscapes that I am exposed to in this place. I am deeply in awe of fynbos, of the intelligent design that allows these plants to exist – and continue to exist – in the Western Cape.

Finally, I draw inspiration from the people around me. I have been exposed to many truly brilliant people in my life. I am inspired mostly by the stories that people tell, and more specifically the stories people tell when they don’t think that anyone is listening.

How would you describe your style?

I am a painter who has been trained in the field of print media. At this point in time, my work is subverting the boundaries of traditional art practise. I am exploring performance, sound and installation, as well as my two dimensional work. My work is graphic and bold, yet generally not representational. I am interested in making art that gives the viewer space to interpret the work as they like. I do not like to make work that is prescriptive in terms of interpretation.

I make work that uses colour, amongst other things, to convey a sensation rather than attempting to create a representational image. I use monotonous and labour intensive techniques to create works that are hopefully beautiful and allow as much room for the viewer to draw the meaning that they seek from the work without having to consider my intention. Essentially, I attempt to open as much space as possible for viewer engagement.

Repetition, repetition, repetition.

Who are some of your favourite local artists?

I really enjoy the work coming out of the iQhiya collective, as well as work from Jody Paulsen, Morné Visage, Fela Gucci (FAKA), Desire Marea (FAKA), Paul Edmunds, Hylton Nel, Esther Mahlangu, Louise Gelderblom, Sitaara Stodel and Bonolo Kavula, who always has my heart.

Do you have a favourite piece of your own?

I am very attached to the small collages that have come out of my Palestinian research. Generally speaking I love and respect the work that I am able to produce. I produce prolifically, and I feel a strong sense of myself within every piece of art that I put out into the world.

At the moment I am busy working on a project where I translate South African struggle music into Arabic and circulate the songs within the Palestinian resistance movements.

Do you have any exciting plans for the future?

At the moment I am very excited about Performance, Engagement, a manifesto of seven performance artworks that I am working on in collaboration with my partner Adam Jon Williams. I am participating in some exciting exhibitions in the coming months with artists who I really care for and respect. I am in the process of taking occupation of a sponsorship studio space at Swain’s Yard studios under the guidance of Paul Birchall, one of Cape Town’s great painters. In the very near future I am building my first large-scale land artwork in Wellington in the Western Cape. Mostly, I am excited about having a Skattie Celebrates in Autumn of this year and the opening of the Palestine Museum in Cape Town, a project that is very close to my heart.

Where can people get their hands on your work?

My e-mail address is rosegelderblom@gmail.com, otherwise through Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr.