When I considered the theme of this years’ Rooftop
Exhibition, I wanted to make a life-size outdoor sculpture of a group of
figures standing in a circle. In Land Between Us the viewer encounters shapes
of different scale and size all looking outward. The uncertainty of the future
is heightened by the increased threat on human life caused by large global
issues such as global warming, pandemics, more and more natural disasters as
well as political instability and the devastating effects of war. This is undeniably
true for most especially those with access to the internet. I believe this
feeling is only going to increase in the (near) future.
For many years I have found much interest and fascination
with the ox wagons used by Voortrekkers during their exploration of new
territories in South Africa over the past centuries. Typically, wagons would be
arranged in a laager, for protection of the entire camp. In Land Between Us, the group is looking out
for one another, as if to say ‘we have each other’s backs’. I want to offer a
different viewpoint, not necessarily a solution to the world and her woes, but one
where we are all looking out for one another, supporting each other.