Adendorff was born in Pretoria, 1977. She matriculated with university exemption at Centurion High School in 1995. Adendorff completed her BA (Fine Arts) degree at the University of Pretoria in 1999, followed by the completion of a MA (Visual Studies) at the University of Pretoria in 2005. In addition to the academic qualifications, Adendorff also completed courses in Multi-media Software including Photoshop, Flash and Freehand at Vega School for Advertising and Design.
The notion of the construction of identity, our unique individual experience of the world and the memories constructed to “record” defining instances in our existence forms the main source of inquiry in the artist’s work. Although the artworks are produced by means of the traditional medium of oil on canvas, it is the artist’s intention to break with traditional portrait painting conventions. Highly polished, carefully rendered areas are often contrasted with looser, undefined markings and stains, whilst some aspects are often left unfinished. The practice of rendering images incomplete furthermore comments on the process of identity which is viewed as being in a perpetual state of flux.
In contrast to this, more recent artistic endeavours are focused around the “completeness” of paintings – a strive towards photorealism with strong emphasis on that which demands nostalgia and idealism. Works are loaded with symbolism and draws heavily on associations with 17th century Dutch Vanitas still life traditions and the meaning associate therein. Themes associated with memory, death and the fragility of existence forms a common thread in the artist’s work.
