This series of paintings was made over the period of a year, from mid winter to mid winter. For me they are an introduction to the DNA that can be absorbed from the network of canals and sluices. The heritage of these aqua ducts goes back centuries when survival in the Karoo depended on the water that they delivered. These monuments, feats of creative engineering, are embedded into the landscape of this region. They literally sing.
The paintings form a part of my ongoing studies of light and shadow, the balance of contrast, colour tone combinations and composition. Here I visually approach the philosophy of in between, the unseen destinations along the way, object and non object, gateways to other habitats and the impression/illusion that is created with paint on a flat surface.
The darkest place is right next to the brightest light.
On exhibition at La Galleria from 30 July to 14 August 2022
James de Knoop
To publish a biography, I feel that to say something in this context is to omit something else. What I can say is that I was born in Johannesburg in 1966 and for as long as I can remember I am fascinated by the language of the arts and have been practicing as a professional painter for thirty years.
